FIA instigates stewarding changes

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Formula One stewarding rules will be revised next year in a bid to bring some consistency to decision-making.

A new replay system will allow stewards to investigate incidents and take action during the race.

National stewards will also be required to observe at least one race before officiating for the first time.

The rules should help end controversial calls such as the one to give McLaren's Lewis Hamilton a 25-second post-race penalty at Spa and strip him of a win.

Hamilton was penalised after he cut a chicane to avoid a collision with Kimi Raikkonen and then did not sufficiently surrender his advantage before overtaking the Finn one corner later.

There was also controversy at Valencia when Ferrari's Felipe Massa escaped a rap after he was illegally released from the pits into the path of Adrian Sutil.

However, when GP2 driver Bruno Senna was involved in a similar incident, he was given a drive-through penalty.

The new system will also see a written explanation of the stewards' decisions published on the FIA website after the race.

At the meeting of the International Automobile Federation's world council in Paris, it was also agreed that former drivers will be able to apply for national stewarding licences.

Meanwhile, the sport's ruling body revealed that the life of an engine would be extended from two to three races and the Chinese Grand Prix will be stage in April instead of October.