Official: F1 Races Will Have A Standing Start After Every Safety Car From 2015, And The Ugly Noses Will Go

That’s right, we have yet more F1 rule changes to get our heads around. The most controversial change - which will come into effect next year - is the introduction of standing restarts after safety car periods. Some drivers raised safety concerns prior to the rule being approved.

The standing restarts will not be carried out two laps after the start (or restart) of the race or if there are five laps remaining.

All three pre-season tests will take place in Europe next year – two took place in Bahrain this season – and this will be reduced to two four-day events in 2016. There will be two (instead of four) in-season tests, each lasting two days. Two of the sessions must be reserved for young drivers.

Elsewhere, changes to the technical regulations will see the ugly 2014 noses disappear and be replaced with more aesthetically pleasing and safer designs. The ban on tyre blankets for next season – something many of the drivers did not agree with – has been rescinded.

Smaller tweaks include Friday’s curfew extending by one hour in 2015, before being increased by a further hour in 2016. A full power-unit change will see drivers start from the back of the grid, not the pit lane.

Only four engines will be permitted per year (unless there are 20 races, when it will be returned to five), parc ferme conditions will start from third practice instead of qualifying and there will be cut backs on wind tunnel hours and CFD usage.

What do you think of the latest rule changes? Let us know in the comments.