Ted Kravitz hits out at 'UNBELIEVABLE' rules amid sprint shootout

Ted Kravitz

Kravitz hits out at 'UNBELIEVABLE' rules amid sprint shootout

There was some confusion during the sprint shootout after an arguable FIA blunder

Joe Ellis

Saturday 29 July 2023 14:57

Ted Kravitz was in disbelief after confusion ensued at the end of SQ2 at the Belgian GP.

The rules currently state that a brand new set of medium tyres are required for SQ2 if the session is dry but if the track is declared wet at any time, teams are free to choose any tyres they wish.

This meant that the FIA, not wanting to give the teams any choice of dry tyres, did not declare the track wet despite the session being delayed to clear standing water.

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Only Aston Martin and Williams gambled on slicks at the end of SQ2 but Lance Stroll crashed out at Turn 9, ending his and Fernando Alonso's hopes of progressing.

Kravitz: We should ask the question

Spa-Francorchamps went from soaking wet to bone dry in the space of one qualifying session

“We even had a 20-minute break before the FIA to say we should have put that message out[Official confirmation over a wet track]," Kravitz said on Sky Sports.

"But Aston Martin are right! It started out with the FIA putting out a message saying the risk of rain is 100%...but they didn't put out an official notification saying it was a wet track. Unbelievable"

"Did none of the clever people on the pit wall not say Mr Wittich sir would you like to put that on? We should ask the question, we're on fairly safe ground with this one"

The FIA then via Sky Sports commentator David Croft said: "We intentionally did not declare the track wet. It's up to the teams."