Radio clampdown also applies to pit boards
In the three-page document, Race Director Charlie Whiting listed precisely what information can and cannot be shared with drivers when they are on track.
As examples, drivers cannot be told where they are faster or slower than a rival, cannot receive a command to change a specific setting on their steering wheels or be given information on the level of fuel saving required.
Messages providing updates on tire pressures or temperatures or warnings on brake wear or temperatures will also be prohibited, but these specific points are to be enforced from the following Japanese Grand Prix.
Information that can still be shared over the team radio and via pit boards includes lap or sector time detail, lap times of another driver, the time gap to another driver, tire choice for the next stint, puncture warnings, whether certain flags are being waved, the deployment of the Safety Car and the state of the track surface.
The full list is as follows:
Messages allowed
– Acknowledgement that a driver message has been heard.
– Lap or sector time detail.
– Lap time detail of a competitor.
– Gaps to a competitor during a practice session or race.
– "Push hard", "push now", "you will be racing xx" or similar.
– Helping with warning of traffic during a practice session or race.
– Giving the gaps between cars in qualifying so as to better position the car for a clear lap.
– Puncture warning.
– Tire choice at the next pit stop.
– Number of laps a competitor has done on a set of tires during a race.
– Tire specification of a competitor.
– Indication of a potential problem with a competitor's car during a race.
– Information concerning a competitors likely race strategy.
– Yellow flags, blue flags, Safety Car deployment or other cautions.
Messages not allowed
– Sector time detail of a competitor and where a competitor is faster or slower.
– Adjustment of power unit settings.
– Adjustment of power unit setting to de-rate the systems.
– Adjustment of gearbox settings.
– Learning of gears of the gearbox (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).
– Balancing the SOC [state-of-charge of batteries] or adjusting for performance.
– Information on fuel flow settings (except if requested to do so by race control).
– Information on level of fuel saving needed.
– Information on tire pressures or temperatures (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).
– Information on differential settings.
– Start maps related to clutch position, for race start and pit stops.
– Information on clutch maps or settings, e.g. bite point.
– Burn-outs prior to race starts.
– Information on brake balance or BBW (brake-by-wire) settings.
– Warning on brake wear or temperatures (will only be enforced from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards).
– Selection of driver default settings (other than in the case of a clearly identified problem with the car).
– Answering a direct question from a driver, e.g. "Am I using the right torque map"?
– Any message that appears to be coded.