Report suggests that Steel F1 sparks will be less dramatic.

      A concern regarding titanium

      The dramatic display of sparks shooting from the back of today's Formula 1 cars may soon come to an end. Roughly ten years ago, the sport opted to mandate the use of titanium for the skid blocks located beneath the vehicles. "You will see a lot more sparks," stated former race director Charlie Whiting at that time, "which some believe will create a more spectacular visual." However, last year in Shanghai, a flying spark ignited a small fire in the grass beside the track, and another fire occurred later during the same event. The FIA recognized the severity of the situation when sparks caused five separate red flags during this year's Suzuka race. Following the F1 Commission meeting last week, the FIA announced that this issue was addressed. "It was agreed to investigate both an alternative skid material and potential modifications on certain circuits," the governing body stated. The problem with titanium is that although the bright metal shavings are visually striking, they "retain heat for an extended period," as explained by Auto Motor und Sport. "No one anticipated that the sparks could ignite dry grass," the German publication added. The expected alternative material is steel. According to journalist Tobias Gruner, "This implies that the sparks, which always thrill fans, especially during night races, may not be as visually impressive anymore."