Martin Brundle demands F1 rule change in pundit's verdict on unjust penalty

20 November 2023 , 19:22

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Carlos Sainz was handed a controversial penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix (Image: Getty Images)

Martin Brundle believes Formula 1's stewards should be allowed to use their common sense after Carlos Sainz was handed a 10-place penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Sainz was punished after a loose metal cover on the track surface smashed into the floor of his Ferrari during a practice session on Friday. The freak incident caused significant damage to the car's engine, energy store, control electronics and survival cell.

Ferrari were forced to change the energy store, but that wasn't permitted. Considering the damage was the result of a track error, Ferrari asked for a derogation of the sporting regulations. Yet the stewarding panel insisted these regulations "must be applied".

Sainz was understandably furious with the panel's decision, with Ferrari's team chief Fred Vasseur calling it "unacceptable". Brundle has plenty of sympathy and believes F1's rules must be changed to allow common sense to be used when applicable.

"He (Sainz) was controlled but clearly beyond angry, as were his team who thought the penalty unfair in the circumstances," wrote Brundle in his column for Sky Sports. "They also wanted to know who was going to pay for the damage.

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"There are hundreds of pages of rules in the International Sporting Code and the specific F1 Sporting and Technical regulations, but nothing which can allow the Stewards to legally turn a blind eye if something just doesn't seem fair.

"It's perilous to write a clause and create a precedent where the Stewards can unilaterally ignore regulations in the name of common sense and fairness in force majeure situations, even if every team and other key bodies agree. But we really must add some wording, with due checks and balances, which can be applied without fear of ensuing legal actions, or teams using it to advantage in other scenarios."

Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur was staggered by Sainz's punishment (Jakub Porzycki/Getty Images)

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Ferrari would've locked out the front row in qualifying if it wasn't for Sainz's penalty. The Spaniard did well to finish sixth, while his team-mate Charles Leclerc secured second. Max Verstappen, as expected, claimed his 18th race victory of the year.

Vasseur made his feelings known about the incident to Sky Sports Italy. He said: "We completely damaged the floor, the engine, the battery. I think it’s just unacceptable. And it could have been even worse... This will cost Ferrari a fortune. We are still in shock. Good show, but you can not leave out the sporting aspect. We were afraid for Carlos. The impact was hard."

Sainz described the penalty as "one of the most unfair" in F1. He added on X: "The situation of the manhole damage and the 10-place penalty is not acceptable, but we’ll deal with it."

F1 admitted "the damage was caused by highly unusual external circumstances" but added: "Article 2.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations obliges all officials, including the Stewards, to apply the regulations as they are written. Accordingly, the mandatory penalty specified under Article 28.3 of the Sporting Regulations must be applied.

"The stewards note that if they had the authority to grant a derogation in what they consider in this case to be mitigating, unusual and unfortunate circumstances, they would have done so, however, the regulations do not allow such action."

Tom Blow