Carlos Sainz has put forward a proposal for a new rule in Formula 1 qualifying sessions. The suggestion aims to address situations where drivers might gain an advantage or where incidents disrupt other competitors’ laps.
The discussion follows an incident during the Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, where Max Verstappen crashed, leading to single-waved yellow flags. Despite this, George Russell secured pole position, having acknowledged the yellow flag zone by lifting off the throttle.
The Austrian Grand Prix Incident
During the Austrian qualifying session, Max Verstappen experienced a crash at a fast left-hander, impacting a barrier towards the end of his lap. This incident resulted in single-waved yellow flags being displayed. Under the existing rules, drivers are required to slow down when passing through a single-waved yellow-flag zone, but they are permitted to improve their lap times if they can demonstrate they acknowledged the flag.
George Russell, who was on a flying lap behind Verstappen, lifted off as he entered the yellow flag zone. His earlier performance on the lap meant his time was still sufficient to secure pole position. This outcome led to some confusion, particularly as Russell’s in-lap was later deleted from the timing screens due to the yellow flags, further intensifying the debate over how such incidents should be managed.
Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, abandoned his lap after mistakenly identifying the single-waved yellow flag as a double-waved yellow. Double-waved yellow flags require drivers to significantly reduce speed and be prepared to stop, effectively forcing them to abort their lap.
Following the session, Russell acknowledged that the incident might have warranted double yellow flags, though he noted that his actions were within the regulations given the single yellow flag status. The situation has prompted discussions about potential rule adjustments for future qualifying sessions.
Sainz’s Proposed Solution
Carlos Sainz believes that the incident involving Verstappen should have resulted in either a double yellow flag or a red flag. While he commended Russell for adhering perfectly to the rules as they stood, Sainz suggested that drivers should not be allowed to complete a lap under such dangerous conditions.
Sainz’s proposed solution is to implement an automatic three-place grid penalty for any driver who causes a yellow or red flag during qualifying. He argues that this would penalise those who disadvantage other drivers and discourage any potential misuse of the system.
He referenced past scenarios, including an instance in Baku, where he considered the possibility of crashing to secure pole position if he were the first car out. Sainz noted that drivers are aware of how the rulebook operates in these situations.
Sainz, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), intends to present his idea to the group. He mentioned that a proper meeting for discussion might not occur during the current sprint weekend but expressed his belief that it should be considered. He clarified that his comments were made on his own initiative rather than on behalf of the GPDA.
The implementation of such a rule would necessitate careful consideration, particularly regarding how race control handles qualifying incidents. For example, if an incident occurs early in a lap with no cars immediately behind, the impact on other drivers might differ from an incident that happens later in the lap with multiple cars following closely. Sainz highlighted that if a driver behind is affected, it creates an unfair situation by preventing them from completing their lap.
Sainz also pointed out that in certain locations, such as Bahrain and Monaco, drivers have been observed to cause yellow flags in Q1, Q2, and Q3, making it challenging for stewards to manage. He stressed the need for new ideas to resolve these issues.
While Sainz did not suggest that Verstappen’s crash was intentional, he emphasised the need for solutions to address the broader issue of qualifying disruptions. The proposal aims to disincentivise actions that could unfairly impact other competitors’ qualifying efforts.
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Source: planetf1.com