The peculiarity of the free tyre change that’s allowed beneath System 1’s pink flag guidelines has lengthy been a supply of frustration to drivers.
When the state of affairs crops up, prefer it did in Brazil final weekend and on the Monaco GP in Could, those that are caught on the mistaken aspect of issues bemoan the sheer randomness of it.
In Monaco, it was all about how the onerous compound starters have been compromised by the first-lap pink flag that allowed all of the medium runners a free swap to the onerous.
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At Interlagos, George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc have been all left ruing what that they had misplaced by switching to recent inters as worsening rain arrived, whereas those who carried on in tough situations received a free tyre change after Franco Colapinto’s big crash.
The obvious luck of the draw is one thing that again and again will get criticised, and but nobody has provide you with the fairer answer.
Again on the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Norris was operating sixth early on when he made a cease beneath security automotive situations for Mick Schumacher’s accident – which dropped him to 14th.
In concept, it was about enjoying the lengthy recreation as these forward of him that didn’t cease would want to take action beneath full race situations in a while – so lose extra time.
Nonetheless, his plan fell flat when a pink flag was introduced out, which handed everybody forward of him a free cease and left the Briton caught down the order.
Talking afterwards, his criticisms of issues have been just like what he stated on Sunday evening after Brazil.
“In fact, I am all the time on the unhealthy finish of it, so it in all probability sucks extra for me than anybody, however I feel it is only a very unfair rule that needs to be taken away,” he stated.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, makes a pit cease
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
“I feel they need to change it to 1 obligatory pit cease with two totally different tyre units wanted for use, after which I feel that is acceptable.
“However this simply ruins every thing, to be sincere. You place a lot effort in for it to be taken away for some silly rule.”
However whereas the unfairness side is the factor that annoys drivers probably the most, final weekend’s race at Interlagos has put into focus one other issue that’s barely extra worrying.
It’s that in a moist race like Interlagos the place situations are worsening and there may be the potential for a pink flag, drivers are nearly inspired to remain out on far-from-perfect rubber for much longer than they ideally would.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who stopped beneath the VSC situations triggered by Nico Hulkenberg’s off, stated that the rain that was coming down had left the observe treacherous – however the lead vehicles clearly felt it definitely worth the danger of staying out.
“I don’t suppose we anticipated it to rain as a lot because it did after which actually, the hardest a part of the race was behind the protection automotive, attempting to remain on the observe,” stated the Australian.
“I feel it form of uncovered a little bit of the problem we’ve with the moist tyre – when everyone seems to be begging for a pink flag however refusing to go onto the moist tyre as a result of it’s so unhealthy.
“A fairly harmful state of affairs to have vehicles actually struggling to remain on the observe behind the protection automotive. Nevertheless it’s probably not something new. Hopefully, we are able to attempt to not less than change it now.”
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB20, on the restart
Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photos
Race winner Max Verstappen, whose victory was made simpler by the pink flag state of affairs, admitted that issues have been proper on the knife edge as he stayed out – however there was no means he was going to cease.
“When some pitted, the rain was coming, we stayed out, which was very sketchy,” defined the Dutchman.
“After which I noticed Esteban [Ocon] in entrance of me flying, like 4 seconds a lap sooner and I used to be like, ‘I am simply comfortable to maintain the automotive on the observe’.
“At one level it was simply, we want a pink flag. It was simply undriveable, even on excessive tyres.”
Ferrari crew principal Fred Vasseur, who had pitted Leclerc early however had dropped him into visitors, conceded that the problem groups face is playing on staying out and never crashing.
“For certain you’ll be able to say on the finish of the day, if you happen to keep on observe, ready for the pink flag, it is the suitable name,” he stated. “However if you happen to crash, you look silly…”
McLaren crew boss Andrea Stella stated that, with situations worsening, there was a security side to the state of affairs – and that whereas there have been aggressive positive aspects available by staying out and hoping for a pink flag, in his thoughts there was just one plan of action he most well-liked.
Talking concerning the Brazil podium finishers who all stayed out, Stella stated: “I’m right here congratulating them on their selections.
“However personally, I’m not very snug to depart a automotive on the market that has tyres which are fairly worn with that quantity of water. With out the pink flag we might be commenting on a unique race.”
The way in which to cease drivers from taking the gamble and pushing on with unsuitable tyres would theoretically be solved by not permitting the free tyre change that’s allowed within the rules.
If drivers knew {that a} pink flag wouldn’t permit them a free swap, then selections on which tyre to decide to could be based mostly purely on which is most fitted to the situations – and never a lot about playing in sticking it out when situations are too dire within the hope of being saved by a stoppage.
However the pink flag guidelines are in place for security causes and never aggressive ones. It has lengthy been accepted that altering tyres needs to be allowed beneath pink flag situations due to the chance of particles from accidents inflicting punctures or different points.
Forcing drivers to stay to their present tyres when there’s a probability they may have run over damaged carbon fibre of different components on the observe, or been concerned in an accident themselves, could be an unimaginable security danger and lunacy to have within the guidelines.
There have, nonetheless, been quite a few ideas prior to now of the way to probably enhance issues and make them fairer.
One thought, that might greatest work for dry races to keep away from the potential for a free cease, could be to permit groups to alter tyres within the stops – but when they needed to it must be for a similar compound.
This state of affairs would forestall what occurred in Monaco, and in addition be sure that drivers who had stopped to change compounds beneath full race situations weren’t unfairly punished.
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Staff VCARB 01, makes a pit cease
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Nonetheless, it could not have averted penalising drivers in Brazil as a result of the inter is in the end the perfect tyre for the rain – as a result of by the point the total moist is introduced into motion, usually visibility is so unhealthy that racing doesn’t happen.
One other thought might be to permit the groups the choice to alter tyres if they’re broken, but when they accomplish that they’ve to tug themselves out of the race order and drop to the again.
That means, there wouldn’t be an incentive to remain out longer than mandatory in tough situations – as a result of in the end if there’s a pink flag the drawback might be better if you have to change rubber. And if you happen to really feel you’re nonetheless on the suitable tyres, you’ll be able to hold them on and take your cease later.
Or what about Norris’s suggestion after Saudi 2021, of tweaking the sporting guidelines to demand that every driver makes a compulsory cease beneath regular race situations, no matter a pink flag?
All these concepts are issues which were mentioned, and drivers have their very own opinions about what will be performed to make it higher – however sadly, F1 has by no means moved issues ahead a lot.
Requested after Monaco whether or not he had some hope of the pink flag tyre rule being revisited by groups and the FIA, he stated: “I do not know. There are lots of issues that they haven’t modified, in all probability as a result of they do not take heed to the drivers.”
5 months his phrases nonetheless seem to ring true.
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