The governing body FIA is set to revise the wording of its racing guidelines after a meeting with all Formula 1 drivers in Mexico. This comes following the clash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix.
It is understood that the FIA accepted that changes to the guidelines were required to close a grey area, Max Verstappen has been exploiting when defending strongly against attacks from his rivals. Other instances of questionable tactics are also set to be targeted.
Motorsport.com reports that F1 plans to present proposed revisions to the racing guidelines to the drivers for feedback in a follow-up meeting in Qatar next month. Since these guidelines don’t need approval from other FIA bodies, they could be implemented by race stewards right away.
However, a challenge could arise, as the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) needs to approve F1’s racing guidelines. The drivers themselves are currently divided in their opinions on the incidents from last weekend, which may complicate reaching a consensus.
The usual post-FP2 drivers’ meeting at the Mexico GP lasted significantly longer than usual. According to Motorsport.com, this extended meeting involved the FIA explaining the penalty given to Norris for overtaking Verstappen off-track during their Austin battle, followed by a separate GPDA meeting.
In Austin, Verstappen ran his championship rival wide in two instances at the US GP. The first being right at the start in Turn 1. Many laps into the race later, Norris approached behind the Dutchman and started to attack. The highlight was his overtake off track, for which he was handed a 5-second time penalty.
Along with the race stewards and team sporting managers, a Formula One Management representative also attended. During the discussion, drivers shared their views on Verstappen’s recent on-track actions. Some drivers strongly supported Norris’s perspective, as he reiterated in Austin and again in Mexico, saying that Verstappen had become the “attacking car.” Others felt Verstappen’s approach, while aggressive, was still fair under the current rules.
While achieving full agreement among drivers is challenging, Motorsport.com reports there’s currently enough support for the proposed guideline changes to potentially go into effect by the end of the season, following the Qatar meeting.
“There was a general commitment to continue to update the driving standards guidelines,” a FIA spokesperson said on Friday via a media statement.
“Bearing in mind the drivers requested the drivers’ racing guidelines and agreed to their introduction along with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, each time they are updated it is consultation with the drivers.
“It is generally accepted that they should continue to evolve, not because of isolated incidents such as Austin, but driven by the desire to bring consistency to determinations and decisions from the stewards.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella also shared his view on this topic and says that incidents in Austria and now Austin show that the guidelines need to be review.
“We have already made our observations in terms of the fact that the guidelines for these driving manoeuvres need review. This was mainly I would say after some of the episodes in Austria already, then I think in Austin definitely we have requested even with the right of review or straight after the race in our comments.
“In Austin we think that the interpretation of the racing between Lando and Max was really unnecessarily at disadvantage of Lando. Having done this, to be honest for us as a team, we leave it to the leadership of the FIA. We have always, like I said before, been respectful, constructive, collaborative with the FIA.
“We are ready to keep doing that. I think the drivers as well have had the chance to express their opinion and they all agree that there’s quite a bit of work to do and I think they have also given their opinion on the episode that happened in Austin. There’s a lot of material, there’s a lot of information.
“I think it’s now the time to process this information and take a step forward in the interest of the sport.”
McLaren lodged a petition for a right of review into Norris’ penalty ahead of the Mexico City GP. Following a meeting between both Friday practice sessions, the stewards rejected the request.
Stella explained on Saturday that the team found an element in the stewards’ decision verdict and pressed on with its petition. On the rejection, he says that McLaren disagreed with it.
“We disagreed with the interpretation of the steward, that this element wouldn’t be significant, relevant and new. We thought that was actually the case.”
In the championship fight between Verstappen and Norris, the Dutchman still holds a comfortable lead over his rival. McLaren remains in the lead of the constructor’s championship.
