Formula 1 cars will get larger mirrors to help with 'blind spots' from 2023 onwards to better help with visibility, among a series of other safety improvements. The changes were announced at the FIA World Motor Sport Council today in London, who met to discuss rule changes and clarifications for next season. The increase to the size of the mirrors comes after some teams tested larger mirrors during Friday Practice sessions this year "to better help with driver visibility and improve brake circuit definition." Roll hoops will be strengthened following the investigation into the accident involving Zhou Guanyu at the British Grand Prix, whereby the Alfa Romeo driver's roll hoop failed when his car was tipped upside down at the start. The FIA also say they identified "procedural issues" during the Japanese GP recovery vehicle incident which will be corrected "in the short and medium term," with the full report into the investigation being made public imminently .
'Back of the grid' penalties clarified
Changes to the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations have also been made, now the procedure to determine grid positions after multiple penalties have been applied has been clarified. Article 28.3 of the sporting regulations now no longer mandates that a driver must start from the back if they incur 15 places of grid penalties. This has been amended after a Ferrari changed multiple elements on Charles Leclerc's power unit at different times during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, in an attempt to avoid a 'back of the grid' penalty. Now the regulation states if a driver has: "accrued more than 15 cumulative grid position penalties, or who have been penalised to start at the back of the grid, will start behind any other classified driver." Any drivers with 15 or fewer grid penalties are 'filled in' based on their results in qualifying. If two drivers end up in the same position with a penalty, the fastest based on their qualifying time is moved forward one place. Cars abandoned by drivers, even temporarily, will now be considered withdrawn from a session except in a sprint or race suspension. If a car is abandoned during a race or sprint session suspension, a driver might be able to rejoin "provided they were not abandoned because of a mechanical issue, car damage or in order to gain an advantage."
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