New F1 rules for 2025: what you need to know

A new Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne next week, and while the regulations have essentially remained the same from last season - with a bigger reset coming for 2026 - there are still some minor changes to the rules that you need to be aware of.

No More Points For Fastest Lap

Perhaps the most significant alteration to the sporting regulations is the removal of a World Championship point for the fastest lap. The concept has a long tradition in Grand Prix racing, originally featuring in the points system in the first decade of the World Championship, between 1950-59. It was re-introduced in 2019, but only awarded if a driver finished in the top ten. A key drawback of the rule was that a driver outside the top ten could set the fastest lap and deny a competitor in the points from earning the bonus.

Personal Cooling Systems

A new rule introduced for 2025 to improve driver comfort mandates a cooling system - a vest the driver must wear, featuring tubes that pump coolant. The system was developed after the extreme temperatures of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. When forecast temperatures are in excess of 31 degrees C, the FIA will declare a ‘Heat Hazard’ and all components of the Driver Cooling System must be fitted - and cars will be allowed to run with an additional 5kg of weight to their overall mass. As for the coolant, the technical regulations specify that it must be air, water, or an aqueous solution of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or propylene glycol.

Changes To Minimum Weights

In terms of weight, another minor technical tweak has been introduced to support taller drivers in the sport: the minimum driver weight allowance has increased from 80kg to 82kg - with the minimum weight of the car and driver rising to 800kg in total.

Private Testing Rule Updates

Away from a Grand Prix weekend, teams will now be restricted in how much testing they can conduct with older car models - which are between two and four years old. Teams will be allowed a maximum of Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) to 20 days with current drivers limited to 1,000km over four days. Additionally, teams will have to field a rookie driver in four practice sessions this season, doubling from the mandatory two last year. For clarity, a rookie is defined as a driver who has started in no more than two F1 races.

Extra Mandatory Pit Stop In Monaco

Another key change mandates at least two pit stops for the Monaco Grand Prix. In dry conditions, every driver must use at least two different tyre compounds. If the race is declared wet, drivers will still be required to make two pit stops — the idea being to spice up the action in a traditionally processional race. Finally, in the event of bad weather or if Qualifying gets cancelled for any reason, the grid for the Grand Prix will be based on the current standings in the Drivers’ Championship. If that happens in Australia this weekend, the race stewards will have ‘sole discretion’ over the starting order.