A rule tweak ensures no repeat of Bearman’s pit-lane drama that briefly unsettled Verstappen during the Australian Grand Prix.
A recent rule change by the FIA is set to prevent the kind of confusion we saw at this year’s Australian Grand Prix.
During the race in Melbourne, Max Verstappen was caught off guard when Oliver Bearman’s Haas rejoined the track from the pit lane right in front of him under the safety car. Bearman had just been allowed to un-lap himself and then decided to pit, which dropped him back behind the safety car — but still ahead of Verstappen on the road.
Red Bull was concerned. They believed Bearman would stay in front until the restart, potentially disrupting Verstappen’s fight with the leading McLarens. But in a surprising twist, Bearman was allowed to un-lap himself again, clearing the way for Verstappen to restart without traffic.
To avoid such confusion in the future, the FIA has updated the safety car rules. Now, race control can temporarily close the pit exit when backmarkers are trying to catch up after being waved through during a safety car period.
The revised rule states that when lapped cars are given permission to pass the leaders and the safety car, they must complete a lap at safe speed and rejoin at the back of the pack. While this happens, the race director can decide to close the pit exit to prevent any cars from rejoining in the middle of the field and disrupting race order.
This small but important change should ensure smoother, fairer restarts going forward.
- Discover More>Leclerc Targets Miami Victory, But Knows Ferrari Isn’t There Yet
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 update
FIA Closes Safety Car Loophole After Aussie Mix-Up FIA Closes Safety Car Loophole After Aussie Mix-Up
- Doohan Erupts as Alpine Error Ends His Sprint Hopes
- Hadjar Hits SQ3 in Miami Chaos, Lawson Left in the Dust
- Alonso Shocks in SQ3 as Stroll Slams Verstappen
- Hamilton Sees Progress, Leclerc Stalls in Miami Battle
- Verstappen Faces Scrutiny After Tough Sprint Qualifying in Miami