F1 Commission mulls changes with tires, DRS zone ahead of 2023 season

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

ANKARA (AA) – The Formula 1 Commission on Tuesday met to discuss several changes before the new season of the racing series, which is set to begin in March.

The specs of Pirelli's new, better performing wet weather tires, which do not require the use of tire blankets, will be available from the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix onwards, as approved by the commission, which met in London.

"Saudi Arabia (circuit) will undergo changes to improve visibility on corner entry while Baku (Azerbaijan) and Miami will be completely resurfaced," the commission stated.

The space between the pit stop boxes will increase by 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) at Zandvoort in the Netherlands, while Qatar will have a new pit building and paddock infrastructure.

Bahrain, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Melbourne, Baku, and Miami also will have drag reduction system (DRS) zone changes.

The commission also added a winter shutdown period for teams and power unit manufacturers along with the existing summer shutdown.

Also, the shorter races have reduced points even if the race isn't finished under a suspension.

The Cost Cap, the adjustment for teams beyond race 21, has risen from $1.2 million to $1.8 million per race.

The World Motor Sport Council must approve all regulatory changes agreed on by the F1 Commission, to be applied in the season.

The 2023 F1 season is set to start in Bahrain on March 5.