F1 News: FIA urged to BAN key historic feature

FIA, Ben Sulayem, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

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FIA urged to BAN key historic F1 feature

The FIA have been urged to make an F1 change

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 16 October 2024 09:12 Updated: 11:37

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The FIA have been urged by Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle to ban a key feature of grand prix weekends.

The governing body has been embroiled in controversy since the Singapore Grand Prix, after their president revealed that they would be clamping down on foul language from drivers.

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Max Verstappen was the first driver to be punished for breaking this rule, after he described his Red Bull as ‘f***ed’ in Thursday’s press conference, and was asked to partake in a community service-style punishment.

The Dutchman refused to speak at further press conferences, and addressed the media outside instead, in an escalation of the swearing row.

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Martin Brundle calls for F1 rule abolition

Ahead of the race at Austin, the FIA have once again been in action, only this time they have overseen amendments to the track following criticism last year.

Teams complained about the policing of track limits last year, claiming drivers were not penalised when they went over the white line, forcing the FIA to make changes for this weekend’s race.

The exit of Turn 11 will now feature fake gravel in the run off area to deter drivers from crossing over the white line and breaching track limits.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether the FIA have implemented a successful change, they have been urged to ban another race weekend feature by Brundle, writing on Sky Sports F1’s Reddit channel.

The 65-year-old has called for the abolition of blue flags, a signal to a driver that they are about to be lapped by a faster car, and must slow down to let the faster car pass - a rule that has been in place since 1995.

"I’m in favour of the abolition of blue flags," Brundle wrote.

"Drivers today don’t know how to navigate traffic like we used to. It was a fun challenge!

"Technological advances have made it harder to get past the backmarkers. That has taught us a lot and caused us to lose an important skill."