Summary of 2013 Regulation Changes
Body Work Flexibility (or Front Wing Tests)
For 2013 front wing deflection tests will be more stringent. Bodywork may deflect no more than 10mm vertically when a 1000N load is applied vertically to it at points 675mm and 975mm forward of the front wheel centreline and 790mm from the car centreline. This is to lessen the possibility of flexible body work being used as a means of enhancing aerodynamic performance.
Front Body Work (or Stepped Noses)
With the exception of an optional, single piece, non structural fairing of prescribed laminate (nicknamed a ‘modesty’ or ‘vanity’ panel), no bodywork situated more than 1950mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template may be more than 550mm above the reference plane. This is to avoid the ‘ugly’ stepped noses first seen in 2012.
Minimum weight
The minimum weight of the car and driver has been increased from 640kg to 642kg. This is to compensate for the slightly increased weight of Pirelli's 2013 tyres. As a result the mandatory weight distribution has been adjusted accordingly.
Force majeure
The ‘force majeure’ allowance relating to when a car stops on the track during qualifying has been deleted from the regulations. For 2013 any car that stops on the track must have enough fuel for the mandatory one-litre minimum sample plus an additional amount in proportion to the amount of fuel that would have been used in returning to the pits (determined by the FIA).
DRS use
For safety, in 2013, drivers are only able to utilise the Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking aid within the designated DRS zones during practice and qualifying.
Active double-DRS systems outlawed
Any concepts allowing air to be channelled through an opening in the rear-wing endplate when DRS was activated and then fed through the car to help stall the front wing have been banned for 2013.
Crash testing
There are now tougher new tests on roll structures and the survival cell’s that have been introduced for 2013 to make F1 safer. Additionally, every chassis that a team produces, will now be subject to a static load test of the survival cell.
Curfews
The team personnel curfew - which prevents team members from being in the paddock during specified periods - has been extended from six to eight hours on Thursday nights for 2013. The number of exceptions allowed during a season has also been reduced from four to two.
Qualifying
Six cars rather than seven will now be eliminated at the end of both Q1 and Q2 as a result of the number of car entries being less.