For a sport that has one simple premise, to finish first, Formula 1 has a lot of rules. Not just sporting rules, either. If you look at the technical rules you will see just what we mean. F1 is one of the most complex and incredible racing series out there and the rules that go into making these high-performance cars are rather insane. For 2021, they've even added a rule regarding copycat cars.

Updated May 2021: Formula 1 fans will be happy to know that we've updated this article with the latest rule changes that affect drivers and teams for the 2021 season. These include the new sprint race qualifying, the ban on Mercedes' DAS steering system, and standardized tire allocation.

Then you get into the sporting rules. And it is just as crazy and interesting. There are so many rules that the drives have to follow as well as the rules the entire F1 team has to adhere to. Here though, we are going to be focussing on rules for the drivers.

What we have here are 15 rules that Formula 1 drivers must follow as they compete for the cup in the most important event in motorsports today. Sorry NASCAR fans, but a turbo-hybrid circuit racer is a bit more complex than a stock car.

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15 The “One Move” Defending Rule

via Formula 1

Defending in Formula 1 is fairly similar to other open-wheel series. You can’t aggressively block a driver that’s trying to pass you; it is rather against the rules. You can block to the inside, and be fairly aggressive, but weaving and similar maneuvers are out of the question. Drivers do love to push the limits, though.

14 Drivers Must Qualify Within 107% Of The Pole-Sitter

via The Drum

This rule was brought in a few years ago to make sure cars that were horribly slow didn’t get in the way of the rest of the grid. Effectively, each car must qualify within 107% of the fastest driver's lap time. However, for 2021, there are two major changes to the Formula 1 race weekends. Friday Practice sessions have now been reduced from 90 minutes to just one hour. And, for three rounds, Formula 1 will try out "sprint qualifying" where the traditional qualifying hour will be on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday there will be a 100km sprint race to set the grid order for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

13 They Earn A Point For The Fastest Lap

via Independent

This is a rule that was introduced two years ago, to some skepticism. But it became quite popular. The fastest lap of an F1 race has been purely for pride for many years. But 2019 saw a point become awarded to whoever set the fastest lap of the race. It added some spice at times as drivers would pit for fresh tires late on to steal the extra point.

Related: Formula 1: Breaking Down The 2021 Regulations

12 If An Engine Part Is Changed, They Take A Grid Drop Penalty

via Formula 1

This is something wildly unpopular. But it is a rule that is in place to try and stop crazy spending from the engine suppliers. Drivers are only allowed to use three engines a year, and some components either the same or twice. If they exceed that (three control electronics units or more), they are given a drop of ten places. And that’s ten each time they go over once, five for any time after.

11 Speeding In The Pit Lane? You Get A Penalty

via Low Down Blog

Do not speed in the F1 pit lane. That is a big no-no. Even in the early 1990s, the pit lane speed limit was not in existence. So cars would race in, serve their pit stop and then race back out of the pit lane. Only after the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger did F1 introduce a pit lane speed limit in 1994.

10 They Must Change Tyre Compounds In The Race

via IOL

Now don’t get confused. This isn’t simply about “drivers have to change tires.” Let’s break it down. There are three dry tire compounds that can be used in a race weekend and the race itself. And in the race, a driver has to change compounds once. So in effect, there is a mandatory pit stop. But it has to be a change of compounds.

In previous seasons, teams decided their own selections of tire compounds, however, for 2021, Pirelli decides the number of tires the teams will receive. Every team will now be supplied with eight sets of soft tires, three sets of medium tires, and two sets of hard tires for each event.

Related: Formula 1: 9 Things You Didn't Know About Jim Clark

9 Safety Car Line Overtaking

via Formula 1

This rule refers to when drivers can overtake each other following the safety car coming in after an incident. So as they restart, there is a line where drivers, once they’ve passed it, can overtake each other. For a few years, that’s been the safety car line further down the pit straight. Now, though, they must wait until they reach the start/finish line. That was changed for 2019.

8 The Team Is "Punished" If Too Successful

Lewis Hamilton
via Pinterest

For 2021, there's been a rule change that's meant to close up the field. It's basically a success handicap that dictates the amount of time teams can spend in the wind tunnel to develop their cars. Last year, Williams finished dead last in the constructors’ championship, which means they're allowed more aero testing than any other team on the grid. Mercedes, on the other hand, are the reigning champions, so they get the least amount of time in the wind tunnel.

7 HANS Devices Must Be Worn

via Formula 1 Data

The HANS device is one of the most important safety devices in the open-wheel racing world. This isn’t something that is required just in Formula 1. IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula E, and Formula 3 all have this. The device has saved lives and ensured some drivers escape serious injury. And it must be worn at all times.

6 Can’t Race If They Don’t Participate In Saturday Practice

via Formula 1

Many Formula 1 fans don't know about this rule, but it's one of those rules that make perfect sense when you think about it. If there's a driver who takes part in all the sessions on Friday but then misses practice three on Saturday morning, they are not eligible to take part in the race.

5 Drivers Can’t Receive A Lot Of Help Over The Radio

via Formula 1

This is a rule that fans actually pushed for, and the sport is better off with it in place. Quite frankly, the coaching drivers were getting on the radios was ludicrous at times. Then, in 2016, the radio communication rules were drastically changed. However, they went too far the other way. Luckily, these days a pretty good balance has now been found.

Related: Ferrari's F1 Deal And How It Will Change Formula 1

4 The Driver Needs To Be In Control

via Wired

While many safety systems found in regular road cars first appeared in Formula 1, most of them are now banned. Drivers need to be in control of the car themselves, so that means no more launch control, no ABS, no traction control, etc. For 2021, the Mercedes team can no longer use the Dual Axis Steering system we saw Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas use in 2020, where they pushed and pulled their steering wheels to change the front wheel camber levels. These days, it's all down to the drivers' skills, but at this level, they have mostly perfected the art of feeling what the car does underneath them anyway.

3 Don’t Force A Driver Off The Track

via Formula 1

This ties in quite nicely with the defending rule. However, this is now aggressive attacking. If you are passing a driver, there it is possible to take things a bit too far, and that is when forcibly pushing someone off the track. It's quite obvious when drivers weren’t trying to leave the competitor any room at all. Watch Nico Rosberg with Max Verstappen, at Hockenheim 2016, and you'll see what we mean.

2 Blue Flags Must Be Obeyed

via ADW Online

Blue flag rules vary quite a bit in different series. Look at IndyCar, they are more of a guideline. And drivers there will often try as hard as they can to stay on the lead lap. In Formula 1 though, you have just three corners to get out of the way as the leaders start to lap them.

1 Don’t Hold Others Up In Qualifying

via Formula Spy

This is in effect the same rule as the one regarding blue flags, but for qualifying. If a driver is on an out-lap or in-lap during qualifying and a driver behind is on their qualifying run, the one in front will have to get out of the way. And do it fast. Not doing so could result in at least a three-place grid penalty, as what happened with Lewis Hamilton.

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Sources: Formula Spy, Formula 1, IOL, Low Down Blog, The Drum