SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Formula One will look a lot different
next season.
Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher is out -- retired, and
several other top drivers are switching seats.
Fernando Alonso, who clinched his second consecutive title in
the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, will end his successful
partnership with Renault to join McLaren. He's taking the seat of
Kimi Raikkonen, who will be move to Ferrari to replace Schumacher.
In the first Formula One season without Schumacher in 16 years,
there will be plenty of new rules from practice sessions to tires.
The two free practice sessions on Fridays of each race weekend
will be extended from 60 to 90 minutes, and teams will be allowed
to use only two cars in each of the sessions. Three were allowed
this season.
In addition, teams still will be required to use the same engine
in two consecutive races. This season, the rule applied to the
second day of practice and the race. Any engine can be used on
Friday.
During races, the pits will be closed when the safety car is
deployed, allowing all cars to line up behind it. Formula One said
it made the change to "remove all incentive for cars to be driven
quickly back to the pits for refueling." All lapped cars will be
allowed to pass the safety car to take up their position at the
back of the line.
Tire sets are another area of change.
Next season, each team will get 14 dry-weather tire sets, up
from seven this season. A maximum of four sets will be available to
each driver for the first day of practice and 10 for the remainder
of the weekend. Only two tire specifications will be allowed in
each race.
The Brazilian GP marked the last Formula One race for Michelin,
which is leaving the series after 13 seasons. Bridgestone will
supply all tires beginning in 2007.