Formula 1 must work to strengthen the rules regarding wheel-to-wheel racing in 2022, according to 2016 Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg.
Throughout the 2021 F1 season, there were numerous discussions surrounding fair racing and what was considered legal on the track.
The FIA, F1’s governing body, was also labelled as inconsistent during the past year by some when dealing with on-track incidents.
Rosberg has called on the newly-elected FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to implement the changes.
“Big respect to Jean [Todt, ex-FIA president] for his career, of course. But now with a new person, there’s an opportunity. The sport needs to make progress,” Rosberg told Sky Sports News.
“It starts even with all the overtaking, the wheel-to-wheel action. Let’s not forget that in the [Abu Dhabi] race, Max Verstappen passed Lewis [on the opening lap] and kind of pushed him off a little bit.
“Lewis stayed flat out, cut the corner and came out in front again. Even that, all of us experts said Lewis should let Max by here, but they didn’t ask him to.
“The FIA needs to tighten all that up so that we don’t have all these discussions.
“It would be better for the sport if it was much easier to understand. Also in wheel-to-wheel racing; who is now right and wrong, what needs to be done. A quick decision is made, and we go on.
“We need to get rid of all of these discussions, that’s important.”
The 2022 F1 season will commence with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 20.
F1 needs to adopt a “leave a lane” rule. Yes, Lewis should have given Max the position on lap 1, but Max should have also been penalized for forcing a car off the track. He was 8 to 10 feet off the racing line and barely made the corner himself with two wheels over the track limits. If there was a leave a lane open rule most of these situations would be avoided.
It can’t be both. Either max should get a penalty (wrong) or lewis should give the spot back(right). If a driver makes the apex first and keeps it on the track its a fair move. He is not required to leave room. Every single driver does this. Its a part of racing, always has been.
If you are pushed off the track on the opening lap, how can you safely back on it? It’s not possible in most cases and you will lose several places. It cannot be allowed. It’s an unfair move that should be punished. Therefore the driver who was pushed off cannot and should not give the spot to the one who pushed him off. That is in case he has an escape. Otherwise the driver who did not give fair racing space should get a time penalty.
Anybody not black (Masi) can change the rules or make up rules as the game goes on. Lewis understand that because he has had to deal with that his whole racing career and so has his father. Difficult to beat black men one on one without an outside helping hand. The world knows that too.
What a crock of shit.
The issue begins with the smooth paved escape areas. Fill them with clay or rubble, so that cars leaving the track simply can’t gain an advantage. Of course, at first there will be lots of safety cars and red flags to remove beached cars, but after drivers have ruined a race, they will learn to stay within track boundaries.
The “leave a car width” criteria is utter bull. If they were to apply it strictly there will be no overtakes in turns and braking zones. As long as there is no contact, overtaking within track limits should never be penalized.