Lewis Hamilton does not understand that the debate on track limits is resurfacing after a new incident with Max Verstappen. The Mercedes F1 driver recalls that he suffered the same thing throughout the 2021 season, culminating in the Dutchman's defense in Brazil, which took them away from the track.
“I've thought that for a long time. It's funny that people are talking about it now because it's the same thing that happened to me in 2021” smiled Hamilton. “If you take Brazil as an example, the car lets off the brakes, is in front but doesn't take the corner and you have to pass very wide to avoid contact.”
According to him, we must penalize drivers who go off track to defend, and possibly modify the marshal system: “You have to do something because it happens very often now, and you shouldn't be able to release the brakes to gain speed, miss the turn and still maintain your position.”
“Also, we have inconsistencies in decisions, weekend after weekend. As a sport we need to improve in all areas and if you look at other world sports they have full-time referees , for example, and I'm sure it wouldn't be a bad thing for our sport.”
George Russell was penalized on Saturday and thinks he deserved it, as was Lando Norris on Sunday. On the other hand, he is surprised that Verstappen was not penalized: “I think when I look back, my penalty was correct by law, and Lando's was also correct because he went off track and overtook.
“But Max braked too late, he didn't take the corner and he probably should have been penalized. But there is no line in the rules that says if you brake too late you will be penalized and he should there be one.”
In this case, there is indeed one in the International Sporting Code, which stipulates that drivers must stay between the white lines of the track to carry out maneuvers. But Russell also attacks home runs.
“But in the same way, if there were gravel, the drivers would not pass there. We are going in circles, the cause is the circuit which allows it. In the short term, we have to make a change but this may not be the solution.”
Although he understands that the regulations cannot provide for everything, the Briton deplores the absence of simple solutions: “We want to get involved, we are always asked for our vision and our opinion, but we cannot consider every scenario because the regulations would be 100 pages long.”
“We have to learn from experience. The regulations are generally good but perhaps they need small adjustments. But my opinion is that if there was grass and gravel, we would not be having this discussion , and it's been going on for several years.”
