Renault explore the impact
The 2006 Sporting Regulations include changes to the format of tyre usage throughout the race weekend, the format of the weekend itself and also the qualifying format. These are as follows:
Article 75)
Quantity of tyres
a) During the Event no driver may use more than seven sets of dry-weather tyres, four sets of wet-weather tyres and three sets of extreme-weather tyres. A set of tyres will be deemed to comprise two front and two rear tyres all of which must be of the same specification.

Impact: Each team may only bring two types of dry tyre to each event, as in previous years, but is no longer obliged to do so. Therefore, a team could potentially bring just one tyre type, and use seven sets instead of six or fewer.

Article 77)
Use of tyres
a) No driver may use more than one specification of dry-weather tyre after the start of the qualifying practice session.

Impact: In 2005, teams had to choose between two available types of tyre on Friday evening. This is no longer the case, and the choice is only made when qualifying begins.

Article 114)
Free practice sessions will take place:
a) The day after initial scrutineering from 11.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 15.00.

b) The day before the race from 11.00 to 12.00.

Impact: Instead of three and a half hours of free practice in 2005, the teams now have only three hours on Friday and Saturday in which to complete their preparations for the race.

Article 115)
The qualifying practice session will take place on the day before the race from 14.00 to 15.00. The session will be run as follows:
a) From 14.00 to 14.15 all cars will be permitted on the track and at the end of this period the slowest five cars, taking into account only laps which were completed before the end of the period, will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session. Lap times achieved by the fifteen remaining cars will then be deleted.

b) From 14.20 to 14.35 the fifteen remaining cars will be permitted on the track and at the end of this period the slowest five cars, taking into account only laps which were completed before the end of the period, will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session. Lap times achieved by the ten remaining cars will then be deleted.

c) From 14.40 to 15.00 the ten remaining cars will be permitted on the track.

Impact: Qualifying is split into three parts, with the final session representing a ‘super pole’ contest between the ten fastest cars. They must begin the session with the fuel load for their opening race stint, and then run until the fuel load is low enough to set a competitive lap time. Fuel used during the third session is then replaced prior to the race.

Fuel stops and tyre changes permitted in 2006

Article 117)
Each car will be deemed to be in parc fermé from the time at which it leaves the pit lane for the first time during qualifying practice until the green lights are illuminated at the start of the formation lap which immediately precedes the start of the race. Between these times, other than when cars are returned to the parc fermé overnight, the following work may be carried out:
- wheels and tyres may be removed, changed or rebalanced and tyre pressures checked.

Impact: Drivers may now start the race on new tyres, which was not the case in 2005, 2004 or 2003.

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