Operational Protocol
Contents:
- Definitions
- Introduction
- The F2
Car
- Engines
- Tyres
- Fuel
- Mechanics
- Race
Engineering
- Race Car
Data
- Set Up
- Preparation and
maintenance of the F2 car before and in between
Race
- Transportation of the F2
cars
- Operation at
Tests
- Operation at Race
Events
- Operation during
Sessions
1.
Definitions
- "Championship"
means the FIA Formula Two
Championship
- "Driver"
means the driver of the F2 Car in the
Championship
- "Event"
means any event entered into the FIA F2 Championship
Calendar for any year commencing at the scheduled time for
scrutineering and sporting checks and including all practice and
the races themselves and ending at the later of the time for the
lodging of a protest under the terms of the International Sporting
Code and the time when a technical or sporting verification has
been carried out under the terms of that
Code
- "F2"
means Formula Two Limited, the operating body for the
Championship
- "F2 Car"
means the car to be used by each Driver in the
Championship
- "F2 Personnel"
means those personnel controlled by F2 including but not
limited to the Race Engineers, F2 Team Manager, F2 Chief Engineer,
F2 Chief Mechanic, F2 Driver Co-ordinator and
Mechanics
- "F2 Race Village"
means the base for all F2 Cars at the Events where pit
garaging is not being used.
- "Session"
means any of a Race, Practice Session or Qualifying Session
at an Event
- "Set-up Sheet"
means the Set-up sheet produced by F2 specifying the set up
of the Car for any given Event or Test, including what adjustments
may be made to the Car at that Event or Test
- "Test"
means the days made available for Drivers to test the F2
Cars
2. Introduction
This F2 Operational Protocol is
designed to set out the key practical elements of the Championship.
The Championship is governed by the FIA and in particular the
International Sporting Code, the Sporting Regulations and the
Technical Regulations, and this Operational Protocol is to be used
in the context of the relevant FIA regulations. It is subject to
change in line with the FIA regulations, and in line with the
evolution of the Championship over time.
3. The F2
Car
3.1 The F2 car is designed by
Williams F1 featuring ground effect aerodynamics and includes a
sophisticated composite survival cell complying with the FIA
Formula One 2005 safety regulations. It is powered by an Audi 1.8
litre turbo engine with a target 425bhp on standard boost and
480bhp on overboost. The transmission is a 6 speed Hewland unit
with paddle shift.
3.2 All F2 cars will include standard
components that will be identical within specified tolerances.
3.3 All F2 cars will be of identical
weight +/- 2kg and ballasted to a standard Driver weight of 80kg
(including all race wear and Driver safety equipment). The
positioning of any ballast within the FIA regulations will be
determined exclusively by F2 with the objective of minimising any
weight distribution change from the norm for Drivers who require no
ballast. In any event no F2 Car should have a weight distribution
that differs by greater than +/- 0.5% from the average.
3.4 Drivers' cars will be painted
in the colour of their choice providing notification is received
according to the date stipulated by F2.
4.
Engines
4.1 The engines on all cars will have
identical power within 1.5% of the target which is set at
425bhp.
4.2 The engines features an overboost
facility actuated by a steering wheel button which increases
maximum power by 55bhp for a duration as specified on the Set-up
Sheet, typically six seconds. Overboost may not be used except in
the second Practice Session and in each of the Races, when the
number of shots will be specified on the Set-up Sheet but typically
eight shots are available for Races and four available for
Tests.
4.3 The engines have a design
life before rebuild of well in excess of a season's use so are not
scheduled for a rebuild before the end of the
season.
4.4 Maintaining engine parity
within a very close tolerance that will make no significant
difference to the cars' performance throughout the season is one of
the most important criteria of the
Championship.
4.5 There may be occasions
during the season when a car's engine needs to be
replaced. If so it will be replaced by one that
has been subject to a similar level of use so as to maintain parity
with the other cars.
4.6 To achieve this, a pool of
spare engines will be rotated through the F2 Cars after each Event
or every other Event (depending on the Event schedule). This will
ensure that that there is minimal difference in usage levels
between those engines in the F2 Cars and the spare engines at any
given time.
4.7 In the event that additional
spare engines are required, which will not have been rotated
through the field, other methods will be employed to ensure engine
parity within tolerance. No Driver, for example,
will benefit from a higher performing new engine to replace their
own engine at any stage in the season.
5.
Tyres
5.1 All F2 cars will use
identical specification
tyres.
5.2 At each Event a total of
four sets of dry weather tyres may be
used. For the first day of the
Event, Drivers will have the following tyres
available:
(a) Two used sets, as chosen by
the Driver from the final pool of three sets of dry tyres chosen at
the previous Event or Test, whichever is the most
recent
(b) One new set. At
the end of the first day of the Event the Driver must discard one
set of used tyres. For the remainder of the
Event, he will then have available:
(c) One used set from the first
day of the Event
(d) One set that was new for the
first day of the Event which the Driver may or may not have
used
(e) One new
set
5.3 At each Event wet weather
tyres will be available as follows:
For the first and second day the Driver will have
available and may use:
(a) One used set, selected by
the Driver from the final pool of two sets of wet weather tyres
used at the previous Event, or if no wet weather tyres were used at
the previous Event, the previously nominated used set will be
carried forward
(b) One new set.
For the third day the Driver will have available and may
use:
(c) Tyres as permitted for the
first and second day, or
(d) If the new set of wet
weather tyres was used in Race 1 the Driver shall have a second new
set of wet weather tyres for Race 2 and these shall replace four
tyres of the Driver's choice from the used and new sets permitted
for the first and second day
In the unlikely event that the Driver has no used wet
weather tyres that, in the opinion of the F2 Chief Engineer, are in
a satisfactory condition to be safely used for the following Event,
the F2 Chief Engineer in agreement with the FIA Technical Delegate
will select substitute used wet weather tyres from the F2 stock to
be the used set to be carried
forward.
Wet weather tyres may not be used in any Practice Session,
Qualifying Session or Race unless that Session is officially
declared wet.
5.4 All dry weather tyres will
be of the same compound and construction as will wet weather tyres,
unless any change is necessary in which case it will be implemented
fairly to all Drivers. If any change of tyre
specification occurs, the new specification must be used
exclusively from that point forward. The
arrangements in relation to used tyres will be specified in such
circumstances.
5.5 All tyres will be allocated
at random to Drivers by the FIA Technical
Delegate.
5.6 In the event that any used tyre is damaged and
requires replacement, the tyre must be replaced with another from
the Driver's currently nominated three sets at the choice of the
Driver and his F2 Race Engineer, except that on one occasion in
every two Race Events a Driver may be supplied with one new tyre
subject to the FIA Technical Delegate accepting the F2 Race
Engineer's recommendation that it should be
replaced.5.7 Tyres may not be turned on the rims but
may be swapped from side to side with reversal of direction of
rotation in accordance with the suppliers' guidelines.
5.8 Once a tyre has been discarded by a driver from his
allocation it cannot be re-introduced.
6.
Fuel
6.1 All F2 Cars will use fuel
supplied by F2. At each Event there will be a
designated identical batch of fuel from which fuel to all F2 Cars
will be supplied.
6.2 Prior to each Practice
Session, Qualifying Session and Race all F2 cars will be refuelled
to exactly the same level to promote equal operating
weights.
6.3 No refuelling will be
permitted during any Session.
7.
Mechanics
7.1 All Mechanics will have
substantial experience and will undergo specialist training on the
F2 Car and its operation.
7.2 Drivers are welcome to
recommend mechanics and F2 will give due consideration to such
recommendations but the appointment of Mechanics will be for F2 to
make at its sole discretion and on its normal terms of
engagement.
7.3 The Driver's Mechanic will
remain dedicated to the Driver's F2 Car throughout the season, to
the extent that it is in the reasonable control of
F2.
8.
Race
Engineering
8.1 F2 will have a number of
Race Engineers, who are each responsible for three Drivers and who
report to the F2 Chief Engineer.
8.2 All Race Engineers will have
substantial experience in race car engineering.
8.3 All Race Engineers will
undergo a comprehensive training programme during which they will
work with an official F2 test Driver and the car designers to gain
experience of the response of the F2 Car to all permitted
changes.
8.4 The Race Engineers will
rotate to a new group of three Drivers for each Event, in order to
optimise fairness.
8.5 Drivers are not prohibited
from bringing other technical personnel to Events and Tests if they
wish to do so, including a race engineer.
However any such other personnel will not be permitted to work on
the car at any time or communicate with the Driver during
Sessions. One person may however join the Driver
at his official debriefs with his F2 Race
Engineer.
8.6 At the start of every Event a rota
will be provided to the Drivers showing the allocation of their
Race Engineer's time to them between Sessions. This will be issued
by the Chief Engineer and will optimally and evenly distribute the
available time between the drivers in a group. To provide a fair
distribution of Race Engineer slots the order of a driver's slots
will change for each Session and each Event.
8.7 The Race Engineer will plan
each Practice Session and Qualifying Session to recommend a routine
to spread out any pit stops for each of his three Drivers, to
enable his immediate attention to be provided to each Driver on
pitting.
8.8 In the event that more than
one Driver is in the pits at the same time, the Race Engineer will
allocate his time in the order that they pit with an initial
maximum of approximately one minute spent with each
Driver.
8.9 If a Driver pits during any
Practice Session or Qualifying Session he can talk immediately to
his Mechanic and request set up changes regardless of his Race
Engineer's availability.
8.10 The allocation of the three
Drivers to a Race Engineer will be on a principle of having a fair
spread of Driver performance, so the group would include a Driver
broadly from the front, middle and back third of the
field. The groups will be determined before the
final Test from previous Test results. F2
reserves the right to make changes to group composition should
exceptional circumstances prevail.
9.
Race
Car Data
9.1 After the end of each Test,
Practice Session, Qualifying Session and Race, relevant F2
Personnel will download extensive data from all F2
Cars. Relevant data to assist the Driver may be
downloaded by both the Driver to his own computer and his Race
Engineer to his F2 computer soon after each
Session. Such data will normally
include:
| Lap time |
Lap number |
Wheel speed |
| Engine rpm |
Gear selected |
Throttle position |
| Turbo boost |
Steering angle |
Brake line pressure |
| Damper displacement |
Lateral G |
Longitudinal G |
9.2 The Driver and his Race
Engineer will also be able to download limited data for the fastest
lap of the Session, normally including:
| Car and Driver |
Lap time |
Lap number |
| Wheel
speed |
Engine rpm |
Throttle position |
| Turbo boost |
Brake line pressure |
|
9.3 The Driver is free to share
his data with anyone, should he choose to do
so.
10.
Set
Up
10.1 Before each Event a Set-up
Sheet will be produced by the F2 Chief Engineer and approved by the
FIA Technical Delegate. The Set-up Sheet will
specify the base line set up with which the F2 Car will leave the
workshop by default. The Set-up Sheet will also specify the
permitted adjustments that may be
made.
10.2 The Driver may request an
alternative set up within the permitted adjustments prior to an
Event provided he notifies the nominated F2 Personnel by a
stipulated date.
10.3 The adjustments that may be
made will change from time to time and will be finally confirmed
following the Test programme with the objective of providing
Drivers with the mechanism to establish a good mechanical and
aerodynamic balance to their F2 Car.
10.4 The provisional permitted
adjustments (within specified ranges on the Set-up Sheet)
are:
|
Wing flap settings, front and rear
|
The use of Gurney flaps on the rear wing as specified on
the Set-up Sheet
|
| The free travel of the the third element (heave
spring assembly) on the front suspension |
The use of third element bump rubbers as permitted on the
Set-up Sheet |
| Rear bump rubber free travel |
Rear springs as permitted on the Set-up Sheet |
| Anti-roll bar setting front |
Choice of rear anti-roll bars from the specified range
(or disconnected) |
| Damping, bump and rebound, front and rear |
Cambers, front and rear |
| Tracking, front and rear |
Tyre Pressures |
|
Ride heights, front and rear
|
Certain adjustments will be able to be made by the
Driver from the cockpit.
10.5 Whilst the Race Engineer
will advise and recommend, the ultimate choice of set up may be
made by the Driver. Any instances where the
Driver disagrees with the Race Engineer's recommendation will be
recorded.
10.6 All cars will have the same
gear ratios for an Event. During an Event the F2
Chief Engineer may determine that a change in one or more gear
ratio is necessary, in which case all F2 Cars will be changed at
the same time to the re-specified
ratio.
10.7 The F2 Personnel including
Mechanics and Race Engineers will use reasonable endeavours to keep
a Driver's set up confidential at all times.
Race Engineers may not disclose the set up used by any Driver to
another Driver. Race Engineers will suggest
changes based on the handling problems his Driver reports and his
experience of helpful solutions.
11.
Preparation and maintenance of
the F2 Car before and in between Events and
Tests
11.1 All F2 Cars will be
prepared and maintained centrally by F2.
11.2 Each F2 Car will be maintained to identical standards
by a team of experienced and trained F2 mechanics working according
to a strict preparation check lists and
procedures. Only F2 Personnel will be
permitted to work on the car.
11.3 Each mechanic is supervised
by the F2 Chief Mechanic and F2 Team
Manager.
11.4 During maintenance only
standard parts from the central F2 stock may be fitted to the F2
Car.
11.5 After every Test and Event,
the engine of every F2 Car including full data analysis will be
carefully checked by skilled personnel from F2's engine build and
service contractor.
11.6 The F2 Cars will be
prepared to very high standards, both mechanically and
aesthetically. Any damaged components will be
replaced and any damaged paintwork will be repainted; the costs of
which will be the responsibility of the Driver up to the level of
the insurance excess. The F2 Organisation will
keep records of the livery of every car and keep spare graphics
sets where possible.
11.7 Drivers, managers, family
and friends are welcome to visit the Bedford Autodrome workshop at
any time providing visits are arranged through the F2 Driver
Co-ordinator.
12.
Transportation
of the F2 Cars
All F2 Cars will be transported to and from the circuits
for Tests and Events by F2.
13.
Operation at
Tests
13.1 During Tests the circuit
will be available exclusively to F2, which will be usually be
divided into four sessions with a break between each during which
car data will be downloaded and made available to the race
engineers.
13.2 At each Test the Driver may
complete a maximum of 300km.
13.3 At each Test the Driver
will have available one set of used dry weather tyres selected
by the Driver from the current nominated pool and two new sets of
dry weather tyres.
13.4 At each Test the Driver will have available one set
of used wet weather tyres, selected by the Driver from the final
pool of two sets of wet weather tyres used at the previous Event,
or if no wet weather tyres were used at the previous Event, the
previously nominated used set will be carried forward. One new
set of wet weather tyres.
13.5 Changes to the car set up
may only be made in accordance with the relevant Test Set-Up
Sheet.
13.6 The Driver is free to
establish his own programme of changes and track use with his F2
Race Engineer.
13.7 Prior to the commencement
of the Test the Race Engineer will agree a programme with the
Driver.
13.8 Drivers are not prohibited from bringing other
technical personnel to Tests if they wish to do so, including a
race engineer. However any such other personnel will not
be permitted to work on the car at any time or
communicate with the Driver during Sessions. Only the Driver's
mechanic is permitted to work on the car and he shall only receive
instructions from the Driver or the F2 Race
Engineer.
14.
Operation at Race
Events
14.1 All F2 cars will normally
be based in the F2 Race Village unless pit garages are being
used. Each trailer in the F2 Race Village
will have an awning on each side and there will be three cars per
awning. Garage walling will be erected in each
awning or pit garage if used which will include a stores and an
office area for each three Drivers and their Race
Engineer.
14.2 The garage walling will
include the names of the Drivers and branding for their main
sponsor, as well as F2 sponsor and supplier
branding.
14.3 In the event that the
workload is too much for the Driver's own Mechanic, due to accident
repair or mechanical problem rectification, further highly skilled
mechanics from the F2 FIRST (Fast Incident Repair Super Team) will
be deployed according to the F2 Team Manager's
directions.
14.4 Providing that a Mechanic
has completed all work required on his own car to the satisfaction
of a Driver's Race Engineer, in exceptional circumstances a
Driver's Mechanic may be required by his engineer to work on
another car to assist the FIRST. In the event
that further work is required on the Mechanic's own car, at the
request of the Driver's Race Engineer he shall return immediately
to complete such work.
14.5 Only F2 Personnel may work
on the F2 Cars at any time.
14.6 Any personnel associated
with the Driver may be in the Driver's garage.
No personnel associated with a Driver should be in another Driver's
garage unless expressly invited.
15.
Operation during
Sessions
15.1 During any Session only the
Driver's Mechanic and Race Engineer may communicate with the Driver
from the time the Session starts until it either ends or the Driver
declares to his Race Engineer or mechanic he is taking no further
part in it.
15.2 Up to one person associated
with the Driver may be on the pit wall during
Sessions.
15.3 No car to pit radio systems
may be used. The Driver and Race Engineer only
may use an intercom system.