F1 drivers expect changes from “productive” FIA meeting on racing guidelines

Adjustments to System 1’s racing tips overlaying attacking strikes on inside traces are anticipated following a prolonged assembly with the drivers forward of the Qatar Grand Prix.

The FIA dedicated to reassessing F1’s ‘Driving Requirements Pointers’ that inform stewards’ selections on contentious racing strikes in addition to how the drivers go about implementing their manoeuvres, following Max Verstappen’s battle with Lando Norris at Austin final month.

The FIA determined it might current its findings to the drivers at this weekend’s Qatar spherical, after that they had collectively agreed adjustments had been wanted across the circumstances of the Purple Bull driver’s strikes in opposition to his McLaren rival.

The explanation for coming again to the drivers earlier than the 2024 season concluded was to get their subsequent suggestions on the proposed adjustments, in addition to getting them examined in race conditions.

The assembly passed off at 7.30pm native time in Qatar on Thursday – as a substitute of the same old post-FP2 slot for the everyday drivers’ assembly due to the dash format this weekend – and lasted almost an hour. This was longer than many groups had been anticipating, as it’s understood the discussions lined a prolonged vary of racing situations and concepts for enhancements.

However Mercedes driver George Russell – the one currently-racing director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation – mentioned afterwards: “The principle dialogue was about overtaking.”

George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group

Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

“A whole lot of drivers are aligned that in case you are the overtaking automobile on the within, rule primary is you’ve to have the ability to keep on the circuit,” he continued, when requested by Motorsport.com if Verstappen’s Austin ways had been closed off on account of the assembly.

“When you’re capable of keep on the circuit, you might be in your proper to run the motive force large, because it has been for all of us since go-karting: for those who’re overtaking any individual on the within, you’ve got received the precise to run them large.”

He later added: “Proper now there’s a line of regulation that claims the within driver wants to depart room to the man on the surface from the apex to the exit. […] I believe that is going to be getting binned off and I hope it will be from this weekend onwards.”

“It was fairly productive,” Russell mentioned of the assembly total. “I believe all of us agree that the rules, they do not want large adjustments. I believe they simply want the odd sentence eliminated or adjusted.

“However I believe everyone’s clear with what occurred in Austin, what ought to have been a penalty, what occurred in Mexico [where Verstappen was sanctioned twice for his subsequent moves against Norris] was rightly penalised.  

“And customarily talking, over the course of the 12 months, I believe the choices have been fairly good. It was simply most likely Austin that was the outlier. So, yeah, simply high quality tweaks.”

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24, Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24, Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Group VCARB 01

Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

When Verstappen confronted the media shortly after Russell, he mentioned: “The principle downside is the tracks that permit these type of issues. […] When you’ve got gravel, that truly stops you from doing issues that – taking a bit extra threat than regular.”

Russell mentioned of this: “We additionally concluded that almost all of those points are right down to the circuits.

“We spoke about a lot of the problems in Austin. I believe plenty of the overtakes would not have even been tried had there been gravel there similar to, Austria Flip 4 – the downhill right-hander. You are going to go within the gravel for those who go in 1-2% over the restrict.  

“Silverstone, at Stowe there was clearly an incredible race in a few years in the past with Lewis [Hamilton] and Checo [Perez] and Charles [Leclerc, in 2022]. In the end everybody was off the observe, however that is as a result of the observe allowed you.

“The circuits are the foundation trigger and the rules are type of like an interim repair that we have to agree on till we are able to get all the circuits in a correct method.”

When pressed on what the assembly meant for the rules relating to a driver overtaking on the surface, Russell replied: “I believe the overtaking guidelines on the surface won’t be altering a lot and I do not suppose we have actually seen a lot of an issue [with that].”

Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle into flip 1, as Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24 overtakes Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

Picture by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Pictures

Hamilton revealed the size of the discussions on Thursday evening when he said “there was speak of, like, a warning” being issued to drivers that went in opposition to the racing guidelines – much like such guidelines in different sports activities. “That is principally like yellow card in your hand, you already know you are gonna have that one warning,” he added.

However the seven-time world champion defined that the drivers had agreed this was a non-starter, as “for those who waited for the final race of the 12 months to utilise your one warning, that does not work”.

“So, we’re simply working away collectively,” he continued. “I believe simply from that assembly we undoubtedly will probably be shifting in the precise course.”

Hamilton additionally mentioned “that is the very best assembly I’d say we’ve had” on such issues, which displays recommendations from Motorsport.com sources that the temper of the assembly was constructive total.

And when Russell’s remark from Mexico that “19 out of 20 drivers mentioned, ‘effectively, if it is incorrect, make the change at present’” was put to Verstappen, given the implication that he was the one driver to object to such a suggestion following the Austin race, he responded by saying on Thursday: “No, it was not the case that it was only one explicit driver agreeing or disagreeing with sure issues.”

A public assertion on the outcomes of the assembly is anticipated to be issued on Friday in Qatar.