FIA and Formula 1 consider major adjustment on F1 cars

It was just a single sentence in the message to the media, after the F1 Commission: "The issue of fires on grass (as experienced recently during the Japanese Grand Prix) was discussed and it was agreed to investigate both an alternative skid material (steel) and potential treatment on some circuits."

What is meant by skid material? As probably known to most Formula 1 followers, there is a wooden board mounted under the cars, colloquially called a skid block. This board must not wear down too much during the race.

If it wears down too much, the car could have been too low on the ground, which gives an advantage. The board serves as the mark for that. Lewis Hamilton was recently disqualified after the Chinese Grand Prix for this reason, because of too much skid wear.

One downside of the current wooden plank is that it can emit sparks when hitting the asphalt. Great for the pictures, but dangerous during dry, warm weather conditions when there is grass along the circuit. Previously in China and this season in Japan, the sparks from the cars caused small fires along the track. This led to red flags and thus delays several times.

During the F1 Commission, the teams and the FIA agreed that it will be investigated whether the wooden board can be replaced by a steel plank in the near future - in hopes of avoiding a shower of sparks.

Adjustments to the circuits are also being considered, so that the surroundings can no longer catch fire.