Messages concerning a driver’s own performance will not be allowed, but the expected ban on those relating to car performance will now be postponed until 2015 to give teams more time to prepare.
Last week teams were advised that any radio transmissions including information related to the performance of the car or driver would be considered a contravention of Article 20.1 of the sporting regulations. This states that "the driver must drive the car alone and unaided”. A lengthy list of banned message types was subsequently issued.
However, that list has now been revised to the below, after the FIA met with team managers in Singapore and decided to delay restricting car performance messages until next season due to the complexity of introducing such a ban at short notice and the potential for significantly differing effects between teams.
The changes to permitted pit-to-car communications follows recent media scrutiny about the amount of information being given to drivers by their race engineers, particularly in terms of how they can gain lap time.
Messages not permitted (by radio or pit board)
- Driving lines on the circuit.
- Contact with kerbs.
- Car set up parameters for specific corners.
- Comparative or absolute sector time detail of another driver.
- Speeds in corners compared to another driver.
- Gear selection compared with another driver.
- Gear selection in general.
- Braking points.
- Rate of braking compared to another driver.
- Rate of braking or application of brakes in general.
- Car stability under braking.
- Throttle application compared to another driver.
- Throttle application in general.
- Use of DRS compared with another driver.
- Use of any overtake button.
- Driving technique in general.