The FIA has altered the safety car regulations in the wake of the furore that unfolded during the European Grand Prix in Valencia a fortnight ago.

The new rules come into force with immediate effect, starting with today's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Ferrari and Fernando Alonso were left fuming when Lewis Hamilton passed the safety car just as it was poised to take to the track following Mark Webber's smash into the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus at the Spanish street circuit.

Running in third position directly behind Hamilton at the time, Alonso eventually finished eighth, sparking unfounded suggestions from the Spaniard of "manipulation".

Michael Schumacher was also caught out by a red light at the end of the pit lane just as he was about to emerge on track at the end of a stop for fresh tyres.

After the race nine other drivers were handed five-second penalties for failing to stay above the minimum time set by the FIA ECU when the safety car was deployed.

In an FIA statement, motor sport's world governing body have made it clear they will now decide when to deploy the safety car as it will "not necessarily join the track straight away".

The statement added: "An assessment will then be made to determine when the safety car should join the track in order to try and ensure that no drivers will be unnecessarily disadvantaged.

"In all cases we will attempt to pick up the leader, however, if this proves unfeasible for any reason, cars between the safety car and the leader will be waved through immediately."

Regarding the lights at the end of the pit lane, they will now operate in such a way to ensure there is no repeat of what happened to Schumacher.