Wednesday October 6th, 1999

The World Motor Sport Council convened today to examine and take action on proposals submitted by sanctioned commissions. Their modifications to the sporting and technical regulations are listed below and will be implemented on the 1st of January, 2000. Included in the decisions are the allowance of cars to regain their position if delayed during the formation lap if done safely along with the banning of certain elastic materials such as aluminium beryllium alloy.

SPORTING REGULATIONS:

Entries

Applications to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship may be submitted to the FIA at any time between 1 March, two years prior to the Championship in which the applicant wishes to compete, and 15 November immediately preceding such Championship.

New applicants must deposit US$ 48,000,000 with the FIA when submitting an application. This sum will be returned if the application is refused or in twelve equal monthly instalments (including interest), commencing immediately after the first Event (subject to the requirements of the Concorde Agreement). If the applicant fails to appear for the Championship for which it has entered, its deposit will be forfeit save only that the applicant may delay its participation by one year, in which case US$ 12,000,000 will be forfeit and the balance repaid as set out above.

Each car must be fitted with an FIA accident data recorder at all Events and also during all tests which are attended by more than one Team (previously it was mandatory only at the Events).

The race director may stop a car running in wet conditions with no rear light. Should a car be stopped in this way it may re-join when the fault has been remedied.

The race director will hold meetings at 10.00 and 17.00 on the first day of practice. The first must be attended by all team managers and the second by all drivers.

Should the race director consider another meeting necessary it will take place one hour after the end of Warm Up. All drivers and team managers must attend.

Any car which is temporarily delayed during the formation lap is allowed to overtake in order to regain its position, provided it does not endanger itself or any other car, and completes the manoeuvre before the leading car reaches its start position.

If a race is stopped and restarted after the leader has completed the second lap but before he has completed 75% of the total race distance (case B), the times for the two parts will no longer be aggregated.

Instead the rule will be brought into line with the safety car rule and the grid for the restart will be arranged in the order the cars finished the first part (i.e. order at the end of the lap preceding the lap during which the race was stopped). Each car will be credited with the number of laps covered during the first part.

A driver can change cars after the first formation lap if the start is delayed or if the race is stopped before the leader has completed two laps. This clarifies the existing regulation and is consistent with the interpretation given in 1999 by the Stewards.

The absolute rule against crossing the track has been modified. Drivers may now cross the track under the supervision of a track marshal.

The following measures have been introduced:

1. In order to improve side head protection and to ensure that the energy absorbing foam comes to the top of the cockpit sides, a new three-dimensional cockpit entry template will be used.
   
   
2. In order to give additional protection to the driver in the event of side impact, the outer skin laminates of the survival cell must be at least 3.5 mm thick and must also incorporate 2.5 mm thick kevlar laminated panels.
   
   
3. A new side test, alongside the drivers' legs, has been introduced.
   
   
4. The rear impact absorbing structure must have a minimum external cross section of 90 sq. cm.
   
   
5. The speed of the frontal impact test has been increased from 13m/s to 14 m/s.
   
   
6. Removable seats will now be secured to the cockpit in a standard way (i.e. all seats will be extractable by following the same procedure).

From 1 January 2000, Formula One will use ultra-clean fuel complying with European Union Directive 98/70 EC, which comes into force in 2006. The maximum sulphur content will be 50 parts per million (currently 150 parts per million) and the maximum aromatic content will be down to 35% (currently 42%).

The software will undergo even more stringent validation routines.

Materials which have a specific modulus of elasticity greater than 40 GPa/(g/cm3) (e.g. aluminium beryllium alloy) are banned with immediate effect, except for internal engine parts. A total ban, including engine parts, comes into force on 1 January 2001.