Track limits issues down to circuits

Following one other weekend of observe limits embarrassment for the game, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem warns circuits to get their act collectively.

It wasn’t simply the sheer variety of penalties that have been handed out over the Qatar weekend however in lots of circumstances the shortage of pace during which they have been handled.

Following Friday’s qualifying session, Lando Norris had his greatest time deleted and in consequence Oscar Piastri attended the trackside interviews, which got here as a shock to the Sky presenter.

Nevertheless, in an additional twist the Australian then had his time deleted which promoted Lewis Hamilton to 3rd, simply in time for the official press convention.

Fortunately, on the finish of Sunday’s Grand Prix we did not witness the shambles seen beforehand in Austria, with solely Sergio Perez being demoted because of a late penalty.

Nonetheless, the entire thing left followers, groups and drivers pissed off and the game wanting beginner. Once more.

Eager to keep away from any repeat, not least as a result of it places the FIA in a foul gentle, Mohammed Ben Sulayem is asking on the circuits to get their act collectively by way of the observe limits which have proved notably haphazard this season.

“We had the identical concern in Austria,” he mentioned, “it was 1200 (violations). And I’ve to say, congratulations to the stewards as a result of they noticed it.

“However is that the answer? No,” he continued. “The answer is to enhance the observe itself.

“I do know some are immune to it,” he admitted, “however to inform you the reality, if they do not, there isn’t any race. It is so simple as this. We will not afford this.”

Including to the embarrassment of Qatar was the problem with the kerbs that noticed the FIA, together with Pirelli, revise the observe limits at two corners, maintain a particular familiarisation session on Saturday morning and mandate a restrict on what number of laps the tyres might be used for, thereby implementing a minimal three-stop technique on all drivers.

“We have now to work on an answer,” mentioned Ben Sulayem. “One of many options is to make it slippery once they go off. No person can cease the drivers besides the drivers themselves.

“We are able to consider the peak,” he mentioned if the kerbs. Does it injury the automobiles? Or perhaps there’s a chance of placing some gravel, however with gravel, now we have to be very cautious. How deep is the gravel? As a result of you don’t need anybody to get caught. And the way massive is the gravel? as a result of you don’t need the automobile to be broken. It’s a steadiness.

“However I consider now it isn’t a matter of ‘Can we do it? We have now to do it. And now we have to take heed to the drivers primarily, to the suggestions from them.

“I must make it urgently as a result of it needs to be carried out for subsequent 12 months. We can not afford for it to proceed, particularly the place we see it on a regular basis.”

Requested about using expertise, Ben Sulayem claims that the FIA merely would not have the cash.

“The usage of expertise needs to be there,” he mentioned. “It’s being utilized in a number of areas, however the FIA wants extra assets to speculate again into the game.

“I am not hiding right here,” he insisted, “we want extra assets. I imply, it is a $20bn operation right here and we can not run it on a shoestring.”

In fact, the $20bn was a reference to the valuation F1 claimed had been placed on the game earlier this 12 months, a determine which Ben Sulayem disputed, and which in flip led to a authorized warning from the game’s house owners.

With that determine in thoughts, the FIA president instructed a re-evaluation of the monetary settlement the game’s governing physique has with its house owners.

“Our settlement needs to be higher,” he mentioned. “You need to keep in mind one factor, we personal the championship. I characterize the owner, and we lease it. Our mission is totally different to Liberty however we’re in the identical boat. We shouldn’t be operating this massive accountability with a shoestring.

“We’re clear,” he added. “We inform folks that is what it prices. Persons are bragging about how a lot every F1 workforce is price, however the FIA needs to be free and have the assets to run it in the easiest way. Each time we’re higher, we make the groups higher and we make the game higher.”