F1 rules and changes for the 2012 season

1. Sporting Regulations
- All engine standard ECU set up and control parameters, which were formerly contained only within a Technical Directive, are now contained within the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations
- The exhaust tailpipes are now strictly regulated in order to ensure that the aerodynamic effect exhaust gases have on the car is kept to an absolute minimum
- Better marking of in-car emergency switches operated by marshals are now stipulated
- The side impact structures will now have to be subjected to a further (upward) push-off test
Changes to the 2012 Sporting Regulations
- Cars may no longer take part in pre-season testing without having passed all crash tests
- There will now be a maximum race time of 4 hours to ensure that a lengthy suspension of a race does not result in a race that could run up to 8 hours if left unregulated
- Before the safety car returns to the pits all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the pack, ensuring a clean re-start without slower cars impeding those racing for the leading positions
- Cars which were in the pit lane when a race is suspended will now be allowed to re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were in when the race was suspended
- Drivers may no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason, i.e. cutting a chicane on reconnaissance laps or ‘in’ laps to save time and fuel
- Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position
- One three-day test will be carried out during the season, formerly there were none
- All stewards’ decisions which are not subject to appeal are now in one place instead of being in various places within the regulations.
- All tyres allocated to a driver may now be used on the first day of practice; formerly only three sets were permitted.

No blown diffusers
The FIA is clamping down on engine mapping and exhaust positioning to minimise designers’ use of exhaust gases in a car’s aerodynamics, effectively outlawing blown diffusers

Crash tests
There will be tougher side impact testing and new cars must now pass all required FIA crash tests prior to any on-track testing

Safety car
During a safety-car period, all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the pack, ensuring a clean re-start without slower cars impeding those racing for the leading positions

Driving etiquette
Drivers may no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason, i.e. cutting a chicane on reconnaissance laps or in-laps to save time and fuel, and drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position

Race suspensions
There will now be a maximum race time of four hours to ensure that a lengthy suspension of a race does not result in a race that could run up to eight hours if left unregulated. Cars which were in the pit lane when the race was suspended will now be allowed to re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were in at the time of the race suspension

Testing
In addition to the established pre-season tests, one three-day test will be carried out during the season. Formerly there was none

Tyre allocation
All tyres allocated to a driver may now be used on the first day of practice. Formerly only three sets were permitted on the opening day of the Grand Prix weekend



2. Technical regulations