Refuelling ban, and other cost limitation measures
Formula 1 will not feature refuelling pit stops next year after the FIA revealed a number of changes to both the technical and sporting regulations. Many of the changes are aimed at reducing team budgets such as the introduction of a slightly different set of rules for cost regulated teams.
The ban on refuelling is also aimed at keeping costs under control, allowing teams to leave the large and weighty fuel rigs at home and thus save on freight. This will have a major influence on race strategy as tyres will now define everything, fuel efficiency will also be critical. Notably the cars will also be 15kg heavier with an increased minimum weight of 620kg. Tyre warmers have been outlawed, meaning very few series now permit them at all, it seems likely that they will fall out of use entirely in the next few years
F1 KERS has undergone some notable changes, its usage is no longer permitted when the car is travelling at over 300kph, and all the storage devices must be situated between the front face of the engine and the driver's back when viewed in lateral projection. A brake valve can also be fitted to the energy recovery system which can reduce the pressure generated by the driver in the rear brake circuit during KERS operation.
With such major changes the teams now have a scramble to lodge entries by 29th May, the €309,000 entry fee to be payable on 1 November 2009.
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