Opinions different amongst F1 drivers over the racing pointers presently being utilized within the sport following a number of incidents eventually 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 observe for working 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 extensive, and maintains he was unfairly punished.
“No, I’ve not spoken to Max in any respect, as a result of he did what I assume he thought was proper, I did what I believed was proper,” Norris mentioned. “I nonetheless disagree, and I believe as a workforce we nonetheless disagree. I believe the bulk of people that have been watching disagreed with the penalty that I received.
“However I’ll make the modifications that I must 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 automotive size forward of him, so I used to be not the attacking automotive, 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 exhausting and overtaken off the observe, I’ve simply maintained my place.
“It’s one thing I’m certain we’ll focus on, as a result of it’s been the principle speaking level since final weekend – not only for us, however for everybody. Lots 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 selections – and whether or not the truth that the within automotive doesn’t must be absolutely alongside on the apex to be given the excessive floor when attacking, whereas a automotive attacking on the skin does.
Russell was penalized for forcing Bottas off the observe on the exit of Flip 12, having stayed throughout the limits himself, and now believes the larger problem is with observe configurations.
“On the finish of the day, you’ll want to have some type of guideline,” Russell mentioned. “Particularly once we’re having totally different stewards each single week who’ve a barely totally different interpretation.
Based on Russell, a straightforward answer could be to take away the runoff that permits drivers to run extensive within the first place. Motorsport Photos
“Having appeared again, I believed my penalty was harsh, however most likely appropriate. Lando’s, I believe that was most likely appropriate as nicely. However Max most likely additionally ought to have gotten a penalty for working off the observe.
“For me, the basis explanation for the issue is having a circuit that permits you to run extensive. If we take Austria final yr for example, you had 300 observe restrict issues. They put gravel in, and there’s no issues. In the event 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 nicely. I believe we have to sort out the basis trigger.”
Verstappen already thinks the game has too many guidelines govering how drivers ought to race, however mentioned he understands the necessity for a agency strategy to try to carry readability.
“When you’ve the state of affairs like we have now with the racing pointers now, they try to specify so many issues,” Verstappen mentioned. “It’s positively over-regulated, however then I also can see the opposite level of, if we take guidelines away, after which there’s once more an incident it’s like, ‘No, we want extra guidelines, we must be stronger on this’.
“It’s at all times the identical factor, as a result of prior to now we had possibly some lesser guidelines, after which you’ve the identical argument. ‘No, we must be stronger on this or that’. It’s at all times the identical story.”
Whereas Norris maintained his stance that he was unfairly punished and Russell modified his thoughts, Carlos Sainz mentioned 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 rather a lot on the overtake that you just take a look at,” Sainz mentioned. “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 evaluate a number of incidents, predominantly to know when to count on a penalty and when not.
“I believe for those who learn the rule by the ebook, the best way the penalties are utilized is perhaps logical for those who apply the rulebook, [but] in the best way that racing is, I really feel like typically it’s a bit troublesome to use the rulebook precisely in that method.
“I assume we simply want to take a seat down all collectively, evaluate a number of 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 extra deterrents at tracks that may cease drivers working extensive, however a supporting voice for the readability of the present guidelines got here from Bottas.
“It’s at all times been fairly clear,” Bottas mentioned. “No drama there. It’s simply that some drivers are pushing the bounds of the rules extra and nearly 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 form of 50/50, about it. I didn’t even moan about it within the radio. In the long run, they determined what they determine and it didn’t change my race anyway, so I wasn’t too fussed about it.
“Once we’re rotating the stewards, they attempt to be constant. They attempt to comply with the rules, however it’s not at all times attainable, as a result of each incident or overtake and each observe are totally different. So long as you’ve totally different stewards, you should have totally different opinions, that’s the way it goes however I believe the FIA is aware of that is a matter typically, they usually’re looking for an answer for the longer term.”
