F1 Commission agrees to reverse 2025 ban; Sprint format to be tweaked

The Formula 1 Commission has agreed to keep tyre blankets for the 2025 season after initially postponing a decision.

Pirelli has been working on creating tyres which do not need to be heated in blankets in a bid to try and reduce energy consumption from the championship, with the Alternative Tyre Allocation also removed.

This trial was used at two Grands Prix, Hungary and Italy, with the number of dry tyres reduced from 13 sets to 11 per driver.

Sprint and other changes

Elsewhere, the Commission decided to "further rationalise" the Sprint weekend by separating the Sprint activities from the Grand Prix weekend.

As it stands on Sprint weekends, Free Practice 1 is on a Friday, before Grand Prix qualifying, with cars entering parc ferme after FP1. Saturday consists of a Sprint Shootout qualifying before the shorter race, with the main event on Sunday.

There have been calls to change parc ferme rules, owing to drivers being locked in with their set-up after just 60 minutes of on-track running.

A wet weather package will continue to be tested, with a wheel cover design planned that completely envelopes the tyre "to establish a proof of concept for the wheel cover."

Previous tests in the season have proved inconclusive as F1 works with teams and the FIA to find a reduction in spray in wet weather.

The final major change agreed by the Commission is updates to the Technical Regulations to permit a 'scoop' to aid with driver cooling.

This is in response to the Qatar Grand Prix, where extreme temperatures led to some drivers throwing up in their helmets, while Lance Stroll claimed he was losing consciousness behind the wheel.

With an eye to the future, the Commission also agreed that work on the all-new 2026 cars cannot begin before 2025.

All the changes are subject to approval from the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).