Formula 1 has abandoned plans to allow teams to use LED wheel covers next year.
The series introduced rules allowing teams to run illuminated wheel covers last year. McLaren ran an example of the device in post-season testing at Yas Marina at the end of 2021.
However no team has run the covers in a race weekend yet. Although the regulations remain in place this season, they have been struck out in the first draft of the 2024 technical regulations issued by the FIA.
The covers were originally planned for introduction “in order to provide visual information to the spectators,” the regulation states.
Had they been introduced, the FIA planned to adjust the minimum mass of the cars to compensate for it. However drivers have voiced concerns over the rising weight of the cars, part of which has come about due to the larger wheel sizes introduced last year.
LED wheel displays
The regulation remains in place this year but has been removed for 2024:
Wheels display panel
Depending on the availability of the necessary technology, and in order to provide visual information to the spectators, the FIA may request each of the four wheel covers described in Article 3.13.7 to be fitted with a rotating LED display panel.
The Wheel Display Panel will be classed as SSC [standard supply components], and details about it and its associated control system may be found in the Appendix to the Technical and Sporting Regulations.
Such a request will only be made following consultation with the competitors, and in any case no later than six months before the first introduction of these display panels in a competition.
An adjustment to the minimum mass of the cars will be made to compensate for the additional mass of these components.
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