Formula 1 will impose a curfew on team personnel next season in a bid to try and cut down on the working hours expected of staff.

Following concerns expressed by the new outfits in particular at the start of 2010, when they worked around the clock at the first few races of the campaign, the FIA has agreed on a working limit from the beginning of next year.

In its published 2011 F1 sporting regulations that appeared on Monday following last week's ratification by the World Motor Sport Council, the FIA announced the details of the curfew.

The curfew will be from midnight to 6am when practice starts at 10am and from 1am to 7am if practice starts at 11am.

"No team personnel who are associated in any way with the operation of the cars are permitted within the confines of the circuit during two six hour periods which commence ten hours before the scheduled start times of P1 and P3," stated the regulations.

"However, each team will be permitted four individual exceptions to the above during a Championship season."

The FIA has also announced that for next year only teams will be allowed a penalty-free gearbox change - with units now due to last for five events.

Article 28.6 f) stages: "For 2011 only, except during the last Event of the Championship season, each driver will be permitted to use a replacement gearbox without incurring a penalty the first time this becomes necessary during the season. Under such circumstances the replacement gearbox will only be required to complete the remainder of the Event in question."

The FIA also confirmed the tyre regulations for 2011 following the return of Pirelli to Formula 1 as the official tyre supplier.

For next season, each driver will have a nominated three sets of dry weather tyres for use in P1 and P2, with one set returned after each session. A further eight sets are then available for the rest of the weekend, with one set handed back before qualifying.

The FIA also confirmed how penalties will be handed out if drivers do not use both tyres of dry weather tyres during races.

"If the race is suspended and cannot be re-started, thirty seconds will be added to the elapsed time of any driver who was unable to use both specifications of dry-weather tyre during the race," stated the regulations. "However, any driver who completes the race without using both specifications of dry-weather tyre will be excluded from the race results."

As well as confirming the details of well-known technical changes, including moveable rear wings plus the banning of driver-activated F-ducts and double diffusers, the FIA confirmed the 107% per cent rule which will see cars not quick enough in Q1 excluded from starting the races.

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The FIA will continue with the use of former drivers on the stewards' panel at Formula 1 races next year - as well as adopting the policy for other championships in 2011.

Following an initiative pushed through by FIA president Jean Todt for 2010, the three regular stewards at grands prix were joined by former high-profile drivers who could offer insight about incidents from a racing perspective.

Over the course of the season a number of former world champions helped fulfil the role of the drivers' steward – including Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Nigel Mansell – as well as other respected figures like Johnny Herbert, Alex Wurz and Tom Kristensen.

The policy of using a driver received widespread support in the paddock – with both drivers and team principals supporting the scheme.

Jenson Button told the new edition of the FIA in Motion magazine: "To have a former driver on the panel is a good idea. They know what's right and what's wrong; what's safe and what's close to the limit, as they have been around a long time themselves."

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner added: "From our perspective the driver steward idea has worked very well. It has added another perspective to the stewards and there have been a couple of instances where I can think of where this has made things different for us, where the driver steward read the situation correctly and the decision was thought through.

"Their experience has added an extra dimension and it is popular with the teams and the drivers and it is a good thing for F1."

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The FIA is to clamp down on driving standards for the 2011 season, in a move aimed at seeing cleaner driving on track.

Following its World Motor Sport Council meeting last week, the governing body published the full sporting and technical regulations for next year.

In them, the FIA has made several tweaks aimed at cleaner racing in Formula 1 - which will include being stricter in dealing with aggressive defensive driving and those drivers who regularly run off the track to find an advantage.

"Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as more than one change of direction to defend a position, deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted," the new rules state.

The regulations also said that drivers benefiting from leaving the track could face penalties.

"Drivers must use the track at all times. For the avoidance of doubt the white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not

"A driver will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with the track.

"Should a car leave the track for any reason the driver may rejoin. However, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any advantage."

The ruling body has also tightened rules for backmarkers, in the hope that they influence races as little as possible.

"As soon as a car is caught by another car which is about to lap it during the race the driver must allow the faster driver past at the first available opportunity," the new rules read.

"If the driver who has been caught does not allow the faster driver past, waved blue flags will be shown to indicate that he must allow the following driver to overtake. Any driver who is deemed to be ignoring the waved blue flags will be reported to the stewards of the meeting."

The FIA also made it clear it will not allow overtaking in the pitlane next year.

"Any car(s) driven to the end of the pitlane prior to the start or re-start of a practice session, or any car(s) required to stop at the pit exit during a safety car period, must form up in a line in the fast lane and leave in the order they got there unless another car is unduly delayed."

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