Grosjean: If F1 races were like qualifying, our necks would be f**ked

Romain Grosjean believes a happy medium can be found between ensuring the safety of the drivers whilst also making racing harder and more physically demanding that it is at the moment - bring back refuelling so cars can be pushed to their limit.

Prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton stated that driving the current F1 cars does not leave him fatigued, and even claimed the demands are so minute that he could easily drive two races in a row back-to-back.

Grosjean, joining the debate, admits he recently found kart racing with his friends more tiring than a F1 race.

“I recently ran a go-kart race with friends,” he told Ekstra Bladet, “125cc with gearshift. And I was more tired than after a Formula 1 grand prix.

“Why? Because you are pushing all the time and you don’t have to save fuel.

“Today [in F1] we need to save fuel. Next and most important: we have to look after the tyres all the time.

“In Barcelona, it felt like we were driving at 50% of the car’s capacity. Therefore it is not difficult.”

The Haas driver thinks there is a way to channel the excitement of qualifying to the race proper - bring back refuelling - but has warned against going too far in that direction as it could leave drivers with “f**cked” necks.

“If the race was like qualifying and we could squeeze the car the same way every lap, our necks would be totally f**ked in the end,” he continued.

“We would be tired and our focus would disappear.

“But when we constantly get off the gas to save petrol and tyres, where is it tiring for the body and mind? These are the two main points.

“What we need are cars that we must push – and a return to refuelling so we don’t have to run around with 100kg at the start but only 30-40kg.

“Then we would be a few seconds faster, if not more, and it would be harder.”

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