The World Motor Sport Council has given the green light to a new start procedure for wet races, following criticism from fans and drivers that starts carried out behind the safety car take away the most entertaining part of a race.
In future, races deemed wet will start behind the safety car as usual, but once the circuit is deemed "safe", the cars will line up on the grid for a proper start in the order they qualified.
"From 2017, if a safety car is deemed to be required for the beginning of a race due to wet weather, a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe to race," confirmed a WMSC statement.
"The process will see the safety car return to the pit lane and the cars assemble on the grid for the start."
Although further details will be released, it's expected that cars will be banned from pitting under the safety car and must start the race on full wet weather tyres.
