FIA move to curb F1 grid penalty farce
FIA move to curb F1 grid penalty farce
The FIA has tweaked Formula 1's sporting regulations in an attempt to end some of the more farcical scenes that have littered qualifying sessions in 2018. The application of grid penalties has been altered, which should encourage teams to take part in every session, regardless of impending sanctions.
If more than one driver was given a grid drops, which put them to the back of the grid, the penalties were previously applied in the order that they were incurred – a penalty was effectively triggered when a driver used a new part on-track, meaning getting out from the pits for FP1 early could have a serious benefit.
It has led to teams lining up in queues at the end of the pit-lane. In Russia, a four-car queue was seen, while Daniel Ricciardo sat at the end of the Interlagos pit-lane alone for 10 minutes before this year's FP1 due to an incoming penalty.
This will change in 2018, with drivers facing hefty grid drops to be set on the grid in the order that they qualified.
It also means that the practice of teams running in Q1 to set a time within 107% and then dropping out to save tyres and engines should fade away.
One bone of contention that appears likely to remain in qualifying is the rule that demands those who qualify in the top 10 to use the tyres used to set their fastest time in Q2.
Russia's farcical Saturday also saw Renault refuse to take part in Q2 in order to secure places 11 and 12 on the grid – and the free tyre choice that went along with it.
Although Renault failed to score points, their decision was founded from the Singapore GP, where the cars to qualify 11-13 (including Carlos Sainz) all supplanted drivers who had qualified ahead as they were able to run much longer on opening stints.
MORE: New details of Channel 4 2019 British GP coverage
MORE: GPFans' 2018 Driver Index top five
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Haas announce Hulkenberg EXIT as F1 star's new team confirmed
- Today 11:27
F1 champion claims Drive to Survive success was 'very lucky'
- 1 hour ago
F1 franchise welcomes return of INCREDIBLE feature
- 2 hours ago
F1 News Today: Red Bull star set to QUIT team as F1 driver role CONFIRMED for 2025
- 3 hours ago
F1 team set to axe BOTH star drivers
- 3 hours ago
Red Bull to lose F1 MVP as true cost of Horner saga hits
- Today 09:57
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860