The FIA has published the new rule which will require drivers to make two tyre changes during the Monaco Grand Prix, after it was agreed earlier today.
The new rule, published in a revision to article 30.5 (m) of the sporting regulations, applies only to Monaco’s round of the world championship. At all other rounds the rule governing which tyres drivers must use during races is unchanged.
The existing rule requires drivers to use two different dry weather tyre compounds during the race, unless they have used either intermediate or wet weather tyres. It does not require drivers to make a pit stop to change tyres: they can fulfil their obligation to use both tyre compounds by changing tyres during a red flag period, as most drivers did in Monaco last year.
The new rule for the Monaco Grand Prix only adds a few specific changes. In Monaco drivers must use three different sets of tyres, which must be of at least two different compounds, unless they use intermediates or wets.
Significantly, if drivers use intermediates or wets in Monaco, they are still required to use at least three different tyre sets. Drivers will therefore face a compulsory requirement to change tyres during a wet race in Monaco which does not exist at any other round of the championship. They are not forced to use the dry weather compounds, but if the Monaco Grand Prix was wet throughout, drivers would have to make pit stops to fit fresh tyres, most likely intermediates.
The new Monaco rule does not specifically require that drivers change their tyres during a pit stop. If a race in Monaco was red-flagged twice, drivers could fulfil their tyre changes during those two stoppages.
It is existing practice that if a driver fails to make one mandatory tyre change they will be disqualified, unless the race was cut short, in which case they would receive a 30-second time penalty. That practice remains, but the new rule adds a further 30-second penalty for a driver who fails to make both of their mandatory tyre changes, a violation which is only possible in Monaco.
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The new rule for the Monaco Grand Prix and the previous version of the corresponding regulation are as follows:
Previous rule
Unless he has used intermediate or wet-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least two different specifications of dry-weather tyres during the race, at least one of which must be a mandatory dry-weather race tyre specification as defined in Article 30.2c)ii). Unless a race is suspended and cannot be re-started, failure to comply with this requirement will result in the disqualification of the relevant driver from the race results.
If the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, thirty (30) seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who was unable to use at least two (2) specifications of dry-weather tyre.
New rule
For all races except the race in Monaco, unless they have used intermediate or wet-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least two (2) different specifications of dry-weather tyres during the race, at least one (1) of which must be a mandatory dry-weather race tyre specification as defined in Article 30.2c)ii).
For the race in Monaco, each driver must use at least three (3) sets of tyres of any specification described in Article 30.1a)i) during the race and, unless they have used intermediate or wet-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least two (2) different specifications of dry-weather tyres during the race, at least one (1) of which must be a mandatory dry-weather race tyre specification as defined in Article 30.2c)ii).
Unless the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, failure to comply with these requirements will result in the disqualification of the relevant driver from the race results.
For all races except the race in Monaco, if the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, thirty (30) seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who did not, when required to do so, use at least two (2) specifications of dry-weather tyre during the race.
For the race in Monaco, if the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, thirty (30) seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who did not, when required to do so, use at least two (2) specifications of dry-weather tyre during the race, or who did not use at least three (3) sets of tyres of any specification during the race. Furthermore, an additional thirty (30) seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who used only one (1) set of tyres of any specification during the race.
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