Verstappen doubts FIA rule consistency; Piastri insists some drivers respect the limits, sparking a debate on racing regulations.
The main debate in recent weeks centers on potential adjustments to F1’s sporting regulations after Max Verstappen once again exceeded limits during on-track battles with Lando Norris, forcing his rival off track four times in two races.
The three-time world champion believes the FIA struggles to create consistent regulations, both in directives and in penalties, which he feels lack uniformity.
“I don’t think it’s that simple. Even with the number of seconds you get, there’s a difference. I mean, as I’ve said before, sometimes it works in your favor, sometimes it works against you,” Verstappen explained.
“I don’t think it will ever be perfect, because even if you remove rules, you get into a battle, and then you want more rules because what is allowed or not is unclear. Then, when there are too many rules, people want fewer rules.”
“It swings from one side to the other all the time. Do I think there’s too much regulation? Probably, yes. Generally speaking, the rulebook just keeps expanding year by year. I don’t think that’s always the right direction.”
Oscar Piastri was asked about this and is pleased the federation is consulting drivers: “There are probably some adjustments to make. And, you know, the FIA has recognized this and wants to work with us on it, which is very positive. But I think overall, we’ve gained consistency.”
“Maybe some things could still be a bit more consistent, but at least for the stewards, they now actually have a set of guidelines regarding the type of rule that should be applied.”
“I think we all agree the rules may not be perfect and could use slight adjustments. But at least we now have something to look back on, which wasn’t the case before.”
“So, I think there’s always room for improvement. These guidelines haven’t been around very long in the grand scheme of things. Again, it’s impossible to draft rules, especially in racing, that cover every possibility and every situation.”
“We always need a certain degree of subjective judgment from a steward. But yes, I believe we’re in a much better position than before. And the FIA has been very, very open to trying to work with us on this.”
Yuki Tsunoda is convinced that having a permanent driver steward could be a solution: “I think it’s better to get input from drivers who have raced in recent years or who are probably more experienced, I’d say.”
“Yes, even as drivers, if we can find someone whom probably all the Formula 1 drivers know and trust as a driver, I’m sure they can bring good insights or share opinions similar to ours.”
“So I think, as it is now, we just have to stick to the guidelines and drive very safely. So yes, we need someone who can give fair guidance and whom we, as drivers, can trust.”
Piastri believes the current guidelines, which allow for diving inside by the letter, fall short against drivers looking to take advantage: “Not massively. Personally, I didn’t think it was that different. It depends, I suppose, sometimes on the people involved.”
“And not everyone races in exactly the same way. I think we’re all very, very demanding. But I haven’t really noticed a change, personally. There was, of course, the contact with Liam and Checo, which was very, very tough.”
“But I don’t think it really changes anything. You know, there are these guidelines, but there are a few principles, I suppose, that we have as drivers, the first being that you don’t really want to damage the car because it’s painful and costly.”
“On the other hand, you don’t want someone overtaking you. So thinking in the moment about releasing the brakes to get ahead in the corner without worrying about the consequences goes a bit beyond what’s written on paper, I think.”
“Maybe some people will race a little differently with certain decisions by the stewards, but that happens with every incident. It kind of sets a precedent, whatever it may be. So I don’t think it’ll change much, but we’ll see.”
Possibly targeted by Piastri in this discussion, Verstappen declined to respond specifically on the possibility of bypassing the guidelines: “No comment.”
- You may also like>Emotional Tribute: Hamilton Set to Drive Senna’s McLaren
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
F1 Rules Under Fire: Verstappen, Piastri Split on Clarity F1 Rules Under Fire: Verstappen, Piastri Split on Clarity. f1 2024 F1 Rules Under Fire: Verstappen, Piastri Split on Clarity
