The start of the Formula 1 season will bring with it several changes to the rules, with the organizers of the Grand Circus looking to avoid the controversies of recent years.

Formula One’s commission, which includes the 10 teams and FIA management as well as the commercial rights holder, met in London on Tuesday ahead of the season-opening race in Bahrain.

>> Honda and its future in Formula 1 after ending its partnership with champion RedBull

Reduced points for all shortened races

First, Formula One rewrote the rule to ensure reduced points are awarded for all shortened races after Max Verstappen claimed his second world title in confusing circumstances at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix.

The race took place in the rain, was stopped after two laps and resumed more than two hours later. Only 28 laps were completed (out of a total of 53) and even Verstappen wasn’t sure how many points he had won. In the end, the Dutchman took all the points and took the title with four races to go.

At the time, the FIA ​​clarified that the points deduction rule only applies to races that have been suspended and cannot be restarted.

>> Max Verstappen’s financial hit after his two F1 world titles

Radio messages, tires, DRS and the budget ceiling

The commission also agreed to “relax the provisions regarding radio messages to and from drivers at any time during the competition.”

A wet weather tire modification has also been approved: Pirelli produces a new compound that handles better and does not require the use of special devices that bring the tires to the proper temperature for racing. This change will be introduced for the first time in Imola.

In Bahrain, Jeddah, Melbourne, Baku and Miami, changes will be made to the DRS zone to make overtaking easier or more difficult. Melbourne will have a fourth DRS activation zone.

A budget cap adjustment was also agreed upon to allow teams to spend an additional $1.2 million on top of the $135 million per season. This year there will be a record 23 stages and the new races are longer and more expensive.

The rules were also changed to “give simplified access to the factories to the FIA’s audit team in order to monitor compliance with the financial rules by teams and powertrain manufacturers”.

The meeting was chaired by Stefano Domenicali, Executive Director of Formula 1, and Nicholas Tombazis, FIA Director of Single Seat Cars.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has decided to step down from the day-to-day management of Formula 1 after recent controversies, was not present.

>> Formula 1 – a step back, made by one of the most important people in RedBull

What the Formula 1 grid looks like in the 2023 season

Alfa Romeo F1 Team (engine – Ferrari) – Drivers: Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri Bottas Scuderia

AlphaTauri (Honda) – Nick de Vries, Yuki Tsunoda

Alpine (Renault) – Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon

Aston Martin (Mercedes) – Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll

Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari) – Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr.

Haas (Ferrari) – Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg

McLaren (Mercedes) – Lando Norris, Oscar Piastre

Mercedes (Mercedes) – Lewis Hamilton, George Russell

Red Bull (Honda) – Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez

Williams (Mercedes) – Logan Sargent, Alexander Albon.

The 2023 Formula 1 season will begin with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5. Next comes the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah – March 19) and Australia (Albert Park – April 2).