Standing restarts and double points off 2015 agenda

The plan to have standing starts after safety car periods in 2015 has been abandoned after this week's meetings of the Strategy Group and F1 Commission.

The decision came after teams did more research into what it meant, and concerns emerged regarding issues such as tyre temperatures and pressures, and the complex procedures required in the cockpit prior to any start. There were also question marks over the build-up of tyre marbles on one side of the grid creating a handicap for drivers on that side.

Double points getting axed

As has been expected for some time, double points for the final race have also gone after F1 insiders accepted that the public didn't like the idea. Fortunately they did not affect the outcome of this year's title battle, but they also did not contribute to extending it until the final race.

The original plan, as suggested by Bernie Ecclestone, had been to have three double point races, in order to reduce the risk of a team losing out through one bad weekend.

As discussed here on Friday teams have also provisionally agreed that the likes of Caterham and Marussia can use the 2014 spec engines, if they want to. They are likely to be cheaper than the 2015 spec, and in Caterham's case at least will open up the chance to use the 2014 chassis without major modifications to accommodate new packaging. Currently rules allow manufacturers to homologate only one engine spec.

Any changes agreed at the F1 Commission now have to be passed by the World Motor Sport Council, which meets next week in Qatar.