The FIA has lowered Formula One pit lane speed limits starting at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, dropping to 80 km/h from 100 km/h in an effort to improve safety.
The decision comes after a Formula One Management (FOM) cameraman was struck by an errand wheel that was improperly mounted to Mark Webber's Red Bull in Germany. He was taken to hospital but fully recovered.
In addition to the speed limit change, pit stops deemed dangerous by stewards will result in a 10-spot penalty for the driver.
Proposals were put forth to create a minimum pit stop time for every team, but were quickly rejected by team principals, who argued that pit stops play a vital role in race positioning and outcomes.
To improve safety measures, the FIA has dramatically restricted pit access to the press. Each broadcaster will have one cameraman and one reporter pass for each practice. During qualifying and race sessions, only cameramen from the official FOM broadcaster are allowed in pit lane, but restricted to the pit wall. Twenty-five passes will also be reserved for journalists and photographers for practice sessions only, to be picked up and dropped off within 30 minutes of each session. Any member failing to meet these guidelines will be banned from passes for the remainder of the season.
