Scrutineering

Renault Sport F1 Team RS17 of Nico Hulkenberg (GER) heads to scrutineering.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Thursday 22nd June 2017. Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan.

Scrutineering is an essential process in Formula 1 racing, where the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) technical delegate and their team check the compliance of each car with the regulations before and after each race. The scrutineering process aims to ensure the safety and fairness of the competition by making sure that every car on the grid meets the required standards.

Before each race, scrutineering takes place over several days, during which all the cars and equipment are checked for compliance. The cars are inspected thoroughly, and their parts, systems, and setups are tested to ensure that they meet the technical regulations. The scrutineers also check that the cars comply with the sporting regulations, such as the weight limits and the number of tires allowed.

During the scrutineering process, the FIA technical delegate and their team have the power to disqualify a car if they find any non-compliance. If a car is found to be non-compliant, the team will be given the opportunity to rectify the issue, and if they are unable to do so, the car will be disqualified from the race.

After each race, the top three cars are inspected again in the parc fermé area to ensure that they are still in compliance with the regulations. The scrutineers check the weight, fuel levels, and other technical aspects of the car to make sure that it has not been altered in any way that would give it an unfair advantage.

Scrutineering is a crucial part of Formula 1 racing and ensures that the competition is fair and safe for all drivers. Without scrutineering, there would be a risk of teams pushing the limits of the regulations to gain an advantage, which could lead to unsafe conditions on the track. Therefore, scrutineering is an essential process that plays a significant role in maintaining the integrity of Formula 1 racing.