In this quiet before the storm (read: season start), let´s list some minor rule changes for this season some might not yet be aware of:
- onboard camera for lower starting number changes from red to black (higher number stays yellow)
- as the grid changes from 24 to 22 cars, in Q1 and Q2 six (not seven) drivers disqualify
- all mechanics used on changing tyres at pitstop have to wear helmets now
- DRS in qualifying may only be used in the designated DRS zones, and DRS might get officially deactivated due to bad weather
- before the start of qualifying every team has now to inform the FIA about their setup in writing
- teams may now have 60 instead of 47 people working operational
- fuel handling operations got rewritten, more safety precautions
- the intermission between FP1 and FP3 may not be less than 24 hours
- curfew has been changed: now also between Thursday and Friday no work for eight hours, only two exemptions per team per year, but those two exemptions can not be taken on the same weekend
- new gas rules for qualifying: at the end of Q there has to be enough gas in the tank for the FIA to get a sample. Pilots stopping their car on track (to comply with this rule as they are low on gas) will now have the necessary amounts added, they would have needed to finish the lap. The FIA will hand out tables with this calculations for each individual track. Is there not enough gas left according to this tables, the driver will have ALL his q times erased.
- the technical stuff has already been discussed, I think, its just notable that all the Pirelli mixtures got softer for this year (tyres are also heavier, thats why the min weight has been raised from 640 to 642kg)
- oh, just one more thing, the "anti-RBR-front-wing-rule-change": front wings will now be tested on TWO points for bending... (10mm max)