FIA goes through with plan to ban party-mode: "New directive prior to spa"

For the Spanish Grand Prix it was announced that the FIA planned to ban the party mode in qualifying. No further details were given with this announcement and therefore it was speculated that this may only apply from 2021 if other concessions were made first.

However, Michael Masi, head of the race management at the FIA, informs The Race, among others, that it is the intention to introduce this plan for the Belgian Grand Prix. "It is our intention to announce a new technical directive prior to the event at Spa."

Means to hurt Mercedes dominance

In all likelihood, as a result of this directive, the teams will be obliged to use the engine modes used during qualifying, also during the race. This would make it easier for the FIA to check the legality of the hybrid engines, but it is also widely seen as a measure to break the Mercedes dominance.

However, the question is whether the FIA will be able to enforce this new directive, but Masi has no doubt about that. "If we weren't, we wouldn't be going down this road."