F1 team principals have provisionally agreed to introduce standing starts after safety car periods next season – despite the idea having been abandoned after it was added to 2015 regulations.
The idea was floated by Bernie Ecclestone at an informal meeting on Friday, with the F1 boss arguing that there is a need to improve the show.
Last time around the rule was abandoned before the start of the season after team managers – who refine the sporting regulations with the FIA’s Charlie Whiting – came up with a long list of objections. Most of those are still valid, so there is likely to be some debate as the team managers remind their bosses of why it was abandoned last time.
The general feeling was that the change would artificially impact the racing. Chief among the objections was the fact that late in a race one half of the grid at many tracks will be covered in marbles, potentially handicapping those on that side of the grid. Similarly there is the possibility that in damp conditions half the grid starting on the dry line, and half on the wet line.
There was also a question of drivers starting on tires of different compounds and ages, with widely varying levels of grip. The suggestion was that everyone would pile into the pits under safety cars in order to ensure they were on new tires for the restart.
Standing starts in the wet, after some laps running behind the safety car, have already been added to the 2017 rules. However, by definition the cars will line up in the order in which they qualified with no driver unfairly handicapped by losing a lead, for example.
Ecclestone also suggested in the meeting that grands prix become two-part races, but that was rejected.
