McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown has backed Carlos Sainz’s call to penalize drivers who mess up other drivers’ laps by causing red flags in the official Formula 1 qualifying session.
Sergio Perez’s crash in Q3 qualifying at the Monaco F1 Grand Prix brought the red flag rule back to the fore.
Carlos Sainz, who ended the session prematurely after being injured following a rear-end collision with Sergio Perez’s car that blocked the track, can’t wait to penalize the driver who ruined his rival’s last run.
Zak Brown raised the matter at the F1 Commission meeting in Abu Dhabi and agreed that it should be discussed by the FIA’s Sporting Advisory Board.
“I think what Carlos said was about the red and yellow flags effectively preventing the drivers from completing their laps,” Brown said.
“In other motorsports they are penalized and their fastest lap is removed from the session. All drivers tend to do one-lap laps, so whether it’s intentional or not, the driver gets penalized for ruining someone else’s lap.” .
“I think it’s a simple solution. It can be implemented quickly. Drivers will have to back up, lose laps, have to race again and the chances are lost. Use a different set of tyres. I may have to. I think it’s the simplest solution. simple.”
Principals of other teams agree that the topic is worth considering.
“I agree with Zak that this is a good idea,” said Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff.
“If I’m not mistaken, I think the fastest lap is eliminated in Formula E. So that’s something we can implement.”
But Aston Martin F1 team principal Mike Clack hinted a crackdown would be difficult, saying: ‘I don’t have a black and white opinion on this.
“I think you have to go to sports counseling on a case-by-case basis and look at the circumstances that have been there over the last 10 years because it’s very easy to convict someone when it’s not good.”
“I think it’s easy to say it should be, but I think it’s hard to say.”
