The FIA has given new powers to the Formula 1 race director to instruct teams to park any seriously damaged cars.
The new rule has been introduced after Sergio Perez was given a three-place grid penalty last year for driving a damaged car during the Canadian Grand Prix. Parts fell from his damaged car as he completed more than half a lap with his rear wing hanging off.
Perez suffered race-ending damage when he spun into a barrier during the race. However the stewards ruled Red Bull instructed him to drive back to the pits in order to avoid triggering a Safety Car period while his team mate Max Verstappen was leading.
A revised rule for this year states drivers “must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so” if their car “has significant and obvious damage to a structural component which results in it being in a condition presenting an immediate risk of endangering the driver or others.” The race director can also order the competitor to leave the track if they believe the damage to their car is sufficiently serious.
Revised Sporting Regulation article 26.10
Original rule
If a driver has serious mechanical difficulties, he must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.
New rule
Any driver whose car has significant and obvious damage to a structural component which results in it being in a condition presenting an immediate risk of endangering the driver or others, or whose car has a significant failure or fault which means it cannot reasonably return to the pit lane without unnecessarily impeding another competitor or otherwise hindering the competition must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.At the sole discretion of the race director, should a car be deemed to have such significant and obvious damage to a structural component, or such significant failure or fault, the competitor may be instructed that the car must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Formula 1
Browse all Formula 1 articles
