Rules change on safety restarts

For 2012, the FIA aims to make safety car restarts more exciting by removing lapped cars from the leading group.

These will be allowed to unlap themselves and join the back of the queue before restarts. There will also be a clampdown on cars cutting corners as they head back to the pits. During qualifying in Korea Sebastian Vettel bypassed a chicane to gain seconds before his final run, but went unpunished.

Races can now last no longer than four hours, even allowing for any red flag suspensions. In 2011 the Canadian GP officially stretched to 4hr 4min.

But the change likely to bring most controversy stops drivers returning to the racing line after they have made a defensive move.