FIA safety car controversy "everything Abu Dhabi should have been"
FIA safety car controversy "everything Abu Dhabi should have been"
Max Verstappen's Italian Grand Prix victory was overshadowed in the aftermath by a debate over the FIA's operational acumen after the race finished behind the safety car.
Criticism was levelled at F1's governing body over the ending, with Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto suggesting the sport deserved better.
The GPFans team convened for the Stewards' Room Podcast to discuss the issue, from the timing of the safety car, to whether a red flag should have been thrown and those Abu Dhabi flashbacks. Read their comments below.
Ian Parkes - Editor-in-Chief
"What the FIA wanted to do was to get the race restarted as quickly as possible.
"So if they had waited to pick up Verstappen, it would have cost them another lap. So they decided to get the safety car out which meant it picked up Russell and not Verstappen.
"The only downside was when Russell was finally released [from behind the safety car].
"So in this instance, what unfolded at Monza was everything Abu Dhabi should have been but wasn't.
"Why there was so much controversy is because there is this unwritten rule within F1 that they don't want to finish a race under safety-car conditions, they want to finish it under racing conditions, which is why Michael Masi last year got things wrong.
"Because so much was on the line, he decided to allow the last lap.
"[Monza] was exactly how it should have been. The FIA didn't do anything wrong whatsoever, despite the criticism from Mattia Binotto and Christian Horner."
Sam Hall - Deputy Editor
"If I compare it to football, people complain when a foul is a foul anywhere on the pitch, but in the penalty area, it is not a foul.
"For me, going yellow flag at the safety car should be the same at any time in the race. It shouldn't be a red flag just because there are five laps left and 'Oh no, someone is going to win behind the safety car'.
"The spectacle is important, yes, but F1 fans have been spoilt in recent years with lots of really good races.
"You have got to have these moments where you don't get the fantastic finish or the thrilling end we all want, to make those other moments special."
Ewan Gale - F1 Writer
"I think labelling the race controversial is disingenuous because the rules were followed to the letter of the law. It was perfectly followed by the FIA, there was nothing more they could do.
"In this situation, the race should have finished behind the safety car. There wasn't a need for a red flag because there was no debris across the track, it was just that the car had stopped.
"The problem comes from the fact they only needed another lap to get racing.
"When you go back to the start of the safety car period and you think of the 90 seconds or so that they didn't call a safety car, that is when you start to think maybe something else could have been done.
"From a completely regulatory standpoint, there was nothing the FIA could have done, they followed the rules correctly.
"Just because there was wrongdoing last year, it doesn't mean you do it wrong again. You have got to do the right thing."
Listen to the GPFans Global team as they digest all the action from Monza, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below, and don't forget to subscribe for more regular podcasts.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Hamilton opens up on Wolff talks over Ferrari move as Verstappen SLAMS F1 decision - GPFans F1 Recap
- 2 hours ago
F1 Sprint Qualifying Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- 3 hours ago
Marko suggests 'exciting' move to REPLACE Ricciardo
- 3 hours ago
F1 Practice Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- Yesterday 22:27
2024 Sprint changes show F1 is listening to fix imperfect format
- Yesterday 21:57
F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Full track layout for Shanghai International Circuit
- Yesterday 21:27
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
-
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
Max Verstappen
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
- GP CANADA 7 - 9 Jun
Related news
F1 Sprint Qualifying Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
F1 Practice Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Full track layout for Shanghai International Circuit
Schumacher's personal collection to be sold in MEGA-MONEY auction
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