Drivers want to address the recent controversial penalties handed out by the FIA.
 |
| Photo: Andy Hone |
Oscar Piastri’s penalty from Brazil, which he received after the collision with Antonelli, has come into focus, and many drivers consider it controversial or even unacceptable. One of them is Carlos Sainz, who is also a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA).
"I think we need urgently a catch-up and try and solve it, because for me the fact that Oscar got a penalty there in Brazil is unacceptable, honestly, for the category that we are in and being the pinnacle of motorsport.
"Everyone that's seen racing knows that that is not Oscar's fault at all, and everyone that's really raced a race car knows he could have done nothing to avoid an accident there and he got away with a 10-second penalty."
Instructions part that stewards follow:
Overtaking on the INSIDE of a corner
To be entitled to leave space when overtaking on the INSIDE, the overtaking driver must:
1. Have the front axle AT LEAST LEVEL WITH THE MIRROR OF THE other car IN FRONT AND AT THE APEX.
2. Be driven in a fully controlled manner, particularly from the approach to the apex, without the driver sending it there
3. In the opinion of the Stewards, take a reasonable racing line and be able to complete the manoeuvre within the track limits.
According to Sainz, this was not the only controversial incident in recent times.
"For me it's something that I don't understand. I didn't understand my Zandvoort penalty, I didn't understand why Ollie [Bearman] got a penalty when we both collided in Monza.
"So there's been not one but multiple incidents this year that for me are far from where the sport should be."
Photo: Peter Fox
He also believes it would help if the role of the sporting stewards were filled by permanent professionals instead of rotating volunteers, as is the case now.
"With good and consistent stewarding - if they truly understand racing really well - through the year we would develop an understanding among us, and you would know when it's your fault. They would know when it's someone's fault and not.
"This is more my perception of things, but I think if we had three fixed guys, the same way that we have a fixed race director, and we know the way they've been applying penalties through years, then we create that muscle memory of how they tend to rate penalties."
The drivers are set to meet with the FIA next week in Qatar to discuss the issuing of penalties, including those handed out recently.