Opinions different amongst F1 drivers over the racing pointers presently being utilized within the sport following a number of incidents ultimately week’s United States Grand Prix.
There have been quite a few penalties handed out for incidents that largely befell at COTA’s Flip 12, with some penalizing the driving force on the skin of the monitor for operating off and gaining a bonus, and others the driving force on the within line for forcing one other driver off-track. Lando Norris was significantly annoyed to be given a five-second time penalty for overtaking Max Verstappen, who additionally went huge, and maintains he was unfairly punished.
“No, I’ve not spoken to Max in any respect, as a result of he did what I suppose he thought was proper, I did what I believed was proper,” Norris stated. “I nonetheless disagree, and I believe as a staff we nonetheless disagree. I believe the bulk of people that had been watching disagreed with the penalty that I obtained.
“However I’ll make the adjustments that I have to make, whether or not it’s being extra aggressive at occasions, or much less aggressive, or no matter. I’ll do what I believe is correct.
“I believe what we noticed with George’s [Russell] and [Valtteri] Bottas’ model, (which) in some methods was similar to ours. I used to be utterly forward of Max, I used to be over a automobile size forward of him, so I used to be not the attacking automobile, he was.
“I used to be forward of Max, so I wasn’t having to defend, he was the one attacking me, and successfully he’s gone in too onerous and overtaken off the monitor, I’ve simply maintained my place.
“It’s one thing I’m positive we’ll focus on, as a result of it’s been the primary speaking level since final weekend – not only for us, however for everybody. A variety of different drivers didn’t agree with it, groups didn’t agree with it, however on the identical time we’re in Mexico and I’ve to deal with this weekend.”
A lot of the main focus since COTA has been on the driving requirements pointers – a six-page doc that outlines how stewards will punish choices – and whether or not the truth that the within automobile doesn’t must be absolutely alongside on the apex to be given the excessive floor when attacking, whereas a automobile attacking on the skin does.
Russell was penalized for forcing Bottas off the monitor on the exit of Flip 12, having stayed inside the limits himself, and now believes the larger situation is with monitor configurations.
“On the finish of the day, you should have some kind of guideline,” Russell stated. “Particularly once we’re having totally different stewards each single week who’ve a barely totally different interpretation.
In line with Russell, a straightforward resolution can be to take away the runoff that permits drivers to run huge within the first place. Motorsport Pictures
“Having regarded again, I believed my penalty was harsh, however most likely right. Taking a look at Lando’s, I believe that was most likely right as effectively. However Max most likely additionally ought to have gotten a penalty for operating off the monitor.
“For me, the foundation explanation for the issue is having a circuit that means that you can run huge. If we take Austria final 12 months for instance, you had 300 monitor restrict issues. They put gravel in, and there’s no issues. Should you put gravel in on that nook, Lando doesn’t go off and overtake, and Max doesn’t brake that late and go off as effectively. I believe we have to sort out the foundation trigger.”
Verstappen already thinks the game has too many guidelines govering how drivers ought to race, however stated he understands the necessity for a agency strategy to attempt to carry readability.
“When you may have the scenario like we’ve with the racing pointers now, they attempt to specify so many issues,” Verstappen stated. “It’s positively over-regulated, however then I may also see the opposite level of, if we take guidelines away, after which there’s once more an incident it’s like, ‘No, we’d like extra guidelines, we must be stronger on this’.
“It’s all the time the identical factor, as a result of up to now we had possibly some lesser guidelines, after which you may have the identical argument. ‘No, we must be stronger on this or that’. It’s all the time the identical story.”
Whereas Norris maintained his stance that he was unfairly punished and Russell modified his thoughts, Carlos Sainz stated the incidents at COTA – which additionally together with a penalty for Oscar Piastri within the Dash – have left him extra confused about what he’s allowed to do.
“I believe it relies upon lots on the overtake that you just take a look at,” Sainz stated. “There’s a little bit of a one end result or one other of a penalty, and what’s clear to me after Austin is that we have to overview just a few incidents, predominantly to know when to anticipate a penalty and when not.
“I believe if you happen to learn the rule by the guide, the way in which the penalties are utilized could be logical if you happen to apply the rulebook, [but] in the way in which that racing is, I really feel like generally it’s a bit tough to use the rulebook precisely in that method.
“I suppose we simply want to sit down down all collectively, overview just a few incidents, have the suggestions from the stewards of why they took that call, and have a little bit of a clearer image in my head of what to anticipate when racing different guys.”
Sainz additionally backed Russell’s name for added deterrents at tracks that can cease drivers operating huge, however a supporting voice for the readability of the present guidelines got here from Bottas.
“It’s all the time been fairly clear,” Bottas stated. “No drama there. It’s simply that some drivers are pushing the bounds of the laws extra and virtually taking the piss out of it, however the guidelines are clear.
“I believed [Russell’s move] was going to be on the restrict. I used to be sort of 50/50, about it. I didn’t even moan about it within the radio. Ultimately, they determined what they resolve and it didn’t change my race anyway, so I wasn’t too fussed about it.
“After we’re rotating the stewards, they attempt to be constant. They attempt to comply with the rules, nevertheless it’s not all the time attainable, as a result of each incident or overtake and each monitor are totally different. So long as you may have totally different stewards, you’ll have totally different opinions, that’s the way it goes however I believe the FIA is aware of that is a matter generally, they usually’re looking for an answer for the long run.”
