FIA makes rule exception for rain start for Dutch GP

The FIA has made an exception in the F1 regulations for the Dutch Grand Prix. This concerns a start in rainy conditions behind the safety car. According to the weather forecast, a start in rain is very likely.

The FIA has added in the regulations that should a start be made behind the safety car, drivers may also drive on intermediate tyres. Previously, it was always mandatory to drive on rain tyres when starting behind the safety car, but this is no longer the case. Race organisers will inform all teams and drivers in good time if the exception applies.

The exception is made for safety reasons. Rain tyres are often much slower than intermediates, so the full wet tyres are hardly ever used. This was often only done when mandatory, for example, during the start of the sprint race in Belgium. Here, all drivers had to use the wet tyres during the start, but most of the drivers went in for the intermediate tyres right after the start, causing chaos in the pit lane. The FIA wants to avoid this chaos in the tight pit lane at Circuit Zandvoort.