2015 rules confirm drivers must keep 'substantially the same livery'
Tuesday 3 March 2015 20:24, UK
Sebastian Vettel says he would be happy to disregard F1’s clampdown on helmet design changes were any fine to go to charity, as the new rule was formally included in the 2015 regulations.
In the latest move to help fans identify drivers on the track, F1’s powerbrokers agreed recently that drivers would no longer be able to make wholesale changes to the livery of their crash helmet during the course of the season.
The new regulation has now been detailed in full in the latest version of the 2015 Sporting Regulations, with the FIA making clear that drivers are now only allowed to make small tweaks to the fundamental design they start the season with.
“In order for drivers to be easily distinguished from one another whilst they are on the track, the crash helmet of each driver must be presented in substantially the same livery at every Event during a Championship season,” the newly-modified Article 21.1 of the rulebook read.
Ferrari driver Vettel had routinely changed his crash helmet during his Red Bull career with the four-time world champion thought to have used more than 60 different designs in F1.
Although the German had already indicated he was likely to stick with the new predominantly white design he used in testing during the season, he says he would be preparared to keep swapping between different ones if any fine he had to pay went to good causes.
“The plan was already to calm down a little bit, but it seems in these difficult times that is the only thing people can agree on,” he told reporters at the final Barcelona test.
“I don’t know, what is the penalty? If it is a little fine with money for charity I am happy to keep changing my helmet.”
The FIA haven’t detailed what the penalty would be were a driver to make a “substantial” change to their helmet design.
Meanwhile, the governing body has also outlined how last year’s regulation change aimed at helping fans identify drivers more easily – permanent numbers – will work when a driver’s F1 career is deemed to be over.
“A driver’s career in Formula 1 will be deemed to have ended if he does not participate in an Event for two entire consecutive Championship seasons," the Sporting Regulations read.
That means, for example, that should newly-confirmed World Endurance Championship driver Max Chilton not return to F1 in 2016 the number four he used on his Marussia car last season will be made available for selection again.
