The Race Weekend Schedule is as follows:

Friday
11.00-12.00 Free Practice
14.00-15.00 Free Practice

Saturday
09.00-09.45 Free Practice
10.15-11.00 Free Practice
13.00 Qualifying Session

Sunday
14.00 Race (or at other times according to the relevant local schedule)

Tyre use and allocation

• Teams can choose two specifications of tyre to trial on Friday only but are restricted to a total of four sets of tyres for the whole weekend.
• The choice of dry-weather tyre for qualifying and the race must be made by 08.00 on Saturday. In the case of both Friday practice sessions being deemed wet this decision may be deferred until 12:00.
• Only a punctured or damaged tyre may be changed during the race and no refuelling will be permitted whilst a car is in the pits for the purpose of changing a tyre.

Parc Ferme Conditions

• These will essentially remain the same as 2004.

Drivers’ Parade

• This will now take place one and a half hours before the race as opposed to two and three quarters.

2005 TECHNICAL REGULATIONS

• Each driver is limited to one engine per two race weekends. Each use of an additional engine, including that in the spare car, will result in the driver being demoted ten places on the grid for each time that this occurs.
• In the case of a driver failing to finish the race in the first of the two events they will be permitted to start the following race with a new engine and incur no penalty.
• Changes to the bodywork (aerodynamics) include raising the front wing by 50mm, bringing the rear wing forward by 150mm, constraints on the diffuser height by 125mm and a cut back on the bodywork in front of the rear wheels by 400mm.
• A Kevlar/Zylon outer skin must be used to contain debris on the front bodywork.
• The energy absorption of the wheel retaining tethers has been increased to 4KJ for improved safety.
• Side headrest thickness has been increased by 25mm to 100mm.
• Side intrusion tests have been increased. They were originally at a rate of 150kN and are now at a 250kN rating.