My Proposal – Technical Regulations – Chapter 10

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ARTICLE 10: SUSPENSION, STEERING SYSTEMS, WHEELS AND TYRES

  1. Definitions
    1. Sprung suspension
      The means whereby all complete wheels are suspended from the sprung mass by a spring medium.
    2. Complete wheel
      Wheel, inflated tyre, wheel rim covers and all other items allowed connected to these parts. The complete wheel is considered part of the suspension.
    3. Wheel or wheel rim
      Rim (including lips and barrel), spokes and centre hub.
    4. Mass damper
      A mass or system that has a degree of freedom relative to the sprung mass, which either performs no other function, or while performing another legitimate function has a compliance beyond what is necessary for its safe and reliable operation.
  2. Suspension
    1. There is no limitation on the technology of designing and manufacturing suspensions (not necessarily sprung).
    2. The suspensions axles can communicate either mechanically or electronically.
    3. Powered devices capable of altering the configuration or affecting the performance of any part of any suspension system are allowed
    4. Adjustments may be made to any suspension system while the car is in motion.
    5. Following systems are now allowed:
      1. Any response of the suspension elements to body accelerations and/or angular acceleration of the rockers (e.g. any inerters, mass dampers, acceleration-sensitive valves in the dampers).
      2. Any coupling of the suspension systems to the braking or steering systems.
      3. Any form of ride height control or alteration via self-levelling systems or feedback loops.
      4. Any change of suspension characteristics resulting from track events acting as triggers.
      5. Any storing of energy via any means for delayed deployment and/or any suspension system that would result in a non-incidental asymmetry (e.g. hysteresis, time dependency, etc.) in the response to changes in load applied to the wheels.
      6. Coupling between suspension elements, such that the state of an element(s) is used to alter the response of another element(s).
      7. Any system such as spool valves, switches, ratchets, etc. intended to change the suspension elements’ characteristics between different states.
      8. Mass Dampers
  3. Outboard suspension
    1. There is no limit to the number, design and technology of suspension members.
    2. In order to help preventing a wheel becoming separated in the event of all suspension members connecting it to the car failing, flexible tethers must be fitted. The sole purpose of the tethers is to prevent a wheel becoming separated from the car, they should perform no other function.
    3. Where any Suspension Member attaches to the survival cell, teams should provide calculations showing that there would be no damage to the survival cell if a load of 1.25 times the compressive failure load of the leg is applied to the mounting, along the axis of the leg.
    4. On the front axle, one suspension member per wheel must be connected to the steering system.
  4. Steering
    1. The steering system is the mechanical system, on and part of the sprung mass, that converts the steering column demand into the outboard suspension position control for the re-alignment of only the two front wheels (the steered wheels).
    2. The re-alignment of the steered wheels must be uniquely defined by the rotation of a single steering wheel about a single axis.
    3. Power assisted steering systems could be electronically controlled not electrically powered.
    4. The steering wheel, steering column and steering rack assembly must pass a specific impact test.
  5. Suspension Uprights
    1. The upright is the structural component, in the outboard suspension, which provides the physical mounting, kinematic restraint and load path connections of the wheel axle to the suspension member outboard attachments as well as the reaction of the brake caliper loads into the suspension.
    2. There can only be one suspension upright per complete wheel.
    3. There is no restriction on the design or technology for this parts, including the materials used for manufacturing, as long as it passes the impact test and safety assessment.
  6. Wheel rims
    1. Wheel rim dimensions
      1. The front wheel rim key dimensions are:
        1. Tyre mounting width = 335.3mm +/-0.5mm.
        2. Outer lip diameter = 490,6mm +/-1mm.
      2. The rear wheel rim key dimensions are:
        1. Tyre mounting width = 429.3mm +/-0.5mm.
        2. Outer lip diameter = 490,6mm +/-1mm.
      3. There is no limitation in the materials of the rims, design and technology of manufacturing, as long as they don’t represent a risk while the car is moving or while tyres are changed, in any circumstances.
  7. Tyres
    1. Tyre dimensions
      1. Tyre width and diameter will be measured parallel to and in a plane perpendicular to respectively the wheel rotation axis with new tyres fitted and inflated to 1.4 bar.
      2. Tyre width must lie between 345mm and 375mm when fitted to the front of the car and between 440mm and 470mm when fitted to the rear.
      3. Tyre diameter must not exceed 725mm when for dry-weather tyres or 735mm for wet weather tyres.
    2. Tyre supply
      Competitors have free of choice for tyres suppliers, as long as they’re able to supply tyres compliant with the Technical Specifications.
    3. Tyre specification
      1. All suppliers need to provide 6 months before the starting of the new season the tyre specifications for the following year.
      2. The compounds will be tested and, if considered safe, will be allowed for the following season.
        If the test is not passed, the supplier(s) has up to 3 months before the starting of the season for redesigning the compound(s) that has failed the test and get the certification.
        If, at the 3 months deadline, the compound(s) still fails to pass the safety tests, the supplier will not be admitted to the following season.
        Any competitors supplier by the excluded supplier(s) will have to select one of the already admitted ones for the upcoming season.
      3. The FIA can ban a specific compound of tyres from one or more supplier for safety reasons without notice or delay following incidents/issues during a competition.
        In this case the supplier will need to provide adequate amendments to the composition of the set-up of the compound to make it allowed again.
      4. There are 4 compounds allowed:
        1. Qualify Slick, whose target is to deliver the best performance on the single qualifying lap.
        2. Race, which must last the lenght of the whole race.
        3. Intermediate, which should also be designed to last for the whole race, assuming that the conditions will remain within the range of usage for this compound.
        4. Wet, which should also be designed to last for the whole race, assuming that the conditions will remain within the range of usage for this compound.
    4. Treatment of tyres
      1. Tyres may be inflated with any gas or mix of gases as long as long as it is not dangerous for the environment, and it does not produce a risk in any circumstances with the car stationary, moving or in the event of a crash.
      2. No valves, bleeds or permeable membranes are permitted other than to inflate or deflate the tyre whilst the car is stationary.
      3. Tyre heating systems are allowed. No restriction in their design or technology. Temperatures must be kept in a range that optimizes performance and does not generate any risks for the gas or gases inside the tyre.
    5. Wheel attachment and retention
      1. The wheel must be attached to the car with any technology or solution as long as it is able to keep the tyre attached to the car in any circumstances.
      2. All cars, whilst under their own power, must be fitted with dual stage devices which will retain the wheel fastener in the event of it coming loose from both its full fitted position and from any angular position before the fastener begins to engage on the axle thread.
      3. Each team must provide test results which demonstrate that all dual stage devices must be able to:
        1. Withstand 20kN of axial tensile force exerted on the wheel nut in a direction away from the car centre line whilst the wheel nut is fully disengaged from the thread.
        2. Withstand 300Nm of torque exerted on the wheel nut in the unwinding direction whilst the wheel nut is partially engaged on the thread.
        3. Furthermore, the dual stage retaining systems must incorporate a means of allowing the wheel operator/fitter to visually identify an incorrectly fitted fastener.
      4. There are no restrictions on design and technology of devices which are used to fit or remove wheel fasteners.

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