The FIA has launched an invitation to tender as it searches for a supplier of the standard fuel-flow meters coming to F1 from 2021.
As part of the agreed new financial, sporting and technical regulations from 2021, the fuel-flow meters are being brought in to help the FIA police fuel-flow issues better.
There was of course the controversy surrounding Ferrari when it came to fuel flow in 2019, but now the FIA need someone to manufacture and supply the meters.
The deadline for submissions is on Friday March 15, the opening day of the 2020 Formula 1 season in Australia, and Motorsport.com report that a decision will be announced in mid-April.
The contract is for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons, but the FIA reserves the right “for reasons related to the regulatory stability of the FIA Formula One World Championship” to extend the contract through to 2024 or 2025, a possibility any bidder must consent to.
The potential suppliers must also state their intended price of the product. The FIA say that “it shall not exceed £5000 with a warranty of 100 hours running time. The service cost for any 100 extra hours of running time shall not exceed £500. The lifetime of the fuel flow meter shall, in any circumstances, not be less than 400 hours”.
As stated in Article 5.11.3 of the 2021 regulations, “all fuel delivered to the power unit must pass through this homologated sensor, and must all be delivered to the combustion chambers by the fuel injectors”.
The maximum weight of the sensor has been set at 400g, and by May 1 teams must say how many examples of the sensor they want, with the first two units per chosen team needing to be delivered by June 1.
During the 2020 campaign teams are allowed to use eight units of the first sensor, and four of the second, though testing and dyno running is not included in this limit.
It’s expected then that these limits will remain in place for 2021.
In further technical news, the FIA have banned the use of garage screens during testing effective as of the 2020 season – this coincides with the announcement that all eight days of pre-season testing in 2020 will be broadcast live.
Teams are still permitted to use them though if the floor is off of the car or if the car has been recovered having stopped on the track.
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