F1 News
2020 clutch change to make race starts more driver dependent
The FIA has introduced a rule change for 2020 which sees changes to the clutch meaning that race starts will become more driver dependent. This means that starts will become more difficult for the drivers in a bid to make the beginning of the race more exciting.
These new rules will see the FIA limit and regulate the use of different clutches and will see pull-type paddle-activated clutches mandatory for each driver. If teams want to use two clutch paddles on the steering wheel, they must be identical and drivers will be asked to prove that they are the same.
Additionally, the clutch paddle must work linearly with the clutch making the driver's movements much more important as that is the only way of engaging the clutch.
Article 9.2.1, section F in the technical regulations states that: “To ensure that the signals used by the FIA ECU are representative of the driver’s actions, each competitor is required to demonstrate that the paddle percentage calculated by the ECU does not deviate by more than +/-5% from the physical position of the operating device measured as a percentage over its entire usable range.”
This should mean that the starts of races are more dependent on the driver's ability and skill to control their car.