Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

FIA set to ban qualifying engine modes from Belgian GP

by Ryan Wood
5 years ago
A A
FIA set to ban qualifying engine modes from Belgian GP

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W11. 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Saturday 8th August 2020. Silverstone, England.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The FIA has informed teams of its intention to ban ‘qualifying engine modes’ from the Belgian Grand Prix onwards.

Teams will often turn their engines up to the absolute maximum for a couple of laps in qualifying to extract the engines maximum power, but these modes cannot be run for long periods of time and therefore are rarely used in any session but qualifying.

Banning such modes will likely impact the Mercedes-powered teams the most, as they have traditionally held the greatest performance advantage, with the factory team often looking close on pace to its rivals until the final laps of Q3, when it utilises such modes and moves well clear of the field.

It’s expected this weekend’s Spanish GP will be the last race in which they can be used, with the FIA writing to the teams this week, suggesting it will clamp down on the practice.

RelatedPosts

FP1 has taken place ahead of the F1 Italian GP

F1 2025 Italian Grand Prix – FP1 Results

34 minutes ago
The Monaco GP is here to stay on the F1 calendar

F1 extends deal for Monaco GP to run through 2035

2 hours ago

In the letter, written by the FIA’s secretary general for motorsport Peter Bayer, such modes are referenced and it states that there should be a “reduction of scope of adjustability between qualifying and the race”.

Whilst the letter itself doesn’t mandate such a change, a technical directive will likely follow in the coming days which will.

The change could ruffle some feathers in the paddock with Mercedes and its customer teams; Racing Point and Williams, likely to suffer the greatest and therefore may see this as an attempt to diminish Mercedes’ performance advantage.

However the FIA’s letter insists the change has been made because “the multitude and complexity of modes being used makes it extremely difficult for the FIA to monitor compliance with all the PU-related regulations and provisions in selected critical moments of the event”.

It also suggest Article 27.1 of the Sporting Regulations, which states that a driver must drive the car alone and unaided, could be breached, although it’s not exactly clear how that rule applies.

It adds: “In order to address the above concerns in the future, we will be requiring that during the qualifying session and the race, the PU should operate in a single mode.”

This could also impact the engine modes used during the race, with drivers often switching between settings to conserve power or to attack, and could therefore severely impact reliability going forward.

Tags: F1SpanishGP
Share199Tweet125Share

Related Posts

Lewis Hamilton fastest in Italian GP FP1
Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton fastest in Italian GP FP1

34 minutes ago
FP1 has taken place ahead of the F1 Italian GP
Formula 1

F1 2025 Italian Grand Prix – FP1 Results

34 minutes ago
The Monaco GP is here to stay on the F1 calendar
Formula 1

F1 extends deal for Monaco GP to run through 2035

2 hours ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
16Italian GP05-07 September
17Azerbaijan GP19-21 September
18Singapore GP03-05 October
19United States GP17-19 October
20Mexico City GP24-26 October

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri309
Lando Norris275
Max Verstappen205
George Russell184
Charles Leclerc151
Lewis Hamilton109
Andrea Kimi Antonelli64
Alexander Albon64
Nico Hulkenberg37
Isack Hadjar37

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Lewis Hamilton fastest in Italian GP FP1
Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton fastest in Italian GP FP1

September 5, 2025
FP1 has taken place ahead of the F1 Italian GP
Formula 1

F1 2025 Italian Grand Prix – FP1 Results

September 5, 2025
The Monaco GP is here to stay on the F1 calendar
Formula 1

F1 extends deal for Monaco GP to run through 2035

September 5, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd