George Russell has called on Formula 1 and the FIA to seek a solution that would enable faster stewarding decisions, complaining that drivers and fans “need the answers quick”.
The Briton’s comments were sparked by his on-track battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during last week’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Leclerc was running behind Russell’s Mercedes when he attempted a bold move down the inside of Turn 12.
The Monegasque made contact with the Mercedes as he barged through, with two wheels on the gravel in the process.
Stewards placed the incident under investigation, with the FIA document confirming this being timed at 15:46 local time.
However, it was not until 20:23, nearly five hours later, that the formal decision of ‘no further action’ was given.
Russell reiterated his desire for faster decision-making, citing that the protest of his Canadian Grand Prix win was not concluded until after he had left the country.
“You would have thought with the technology we have it would be easier,” he told media including Motorsport Week at Monza.
“But again, it isn’t straightforward for the stewards when you’re dealing with so many different incidents.
“There’s pressure to get outcomes quickly for the benefit of the race. I think that’s like in football, if there’s a tackle and it’s a 50-50, you can review it for an hour and you come to the perfect outcome.
“But that isn’t what sport is about and I think we have to accept sometimes there will be incorrect decisions and we want to mitigate that. But I don’t think you’re ever going to get everything absolutely perfect and it always seems afterwards there is a new angle that shows something different.
“I do think you need the answers quick, not only for the drivers but also for the fans.
“I remember in Canada I was already in New York and I wasn’t even sure if I had the win or not.”
Russell appreciates ‘the hurdles everyone is trying to overcome’
The necessity to have a quick decision in a Grand Prix has previously led to some massive calls being made of a contentious nature, such as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021.
Race Director Michael Masi decided to allow lapped cars to overtake the Safety Car prior to the restart, enabling Max Verstappen to get a clear run at Lewis Hamilton.
When this example was put to Russell, he opined that the rule-makers “aren’t stupid people”, but floated the idea of new technology to help them make decisions faster.
“As I said, there’s arguments both ways and now you remind me of that incident and then I have a different viewpoint,” he reiterated.
“But that’s why I drive the car and I don’t make the rules. The guys aren’t stupid who write the rules.
“Everyone comes up with a good idea and they go back and speak about it but then another intelligent person showcases a reason why that wouldn’t work, if that makes sense.
“So unless you’re going to employ more people or have more tech, I don’t know, maybe there is a way that the teams can help with the use of AI or whatever to make these decisions easier.
“Again, I don’t know. I just try to drive the car as fast as possible and leave it to the others.
“But I assure you, it is not easy for every single person in this sport, in every individual position, if that makes sense.
“Everyone is trying their utmost to make it as fair as possible, to try and make the right decision, trying to ensure that everyone is happy with television and it’s good for the fans but you’re not rushing decisions.
“There are so many hurdles that everyone is trying to overcome.
“I think sometimes you accept the odd incorrect decision and of course we don’t want that but maybe that’s just the compromise you have to take rather than every decision taking six hours or a day or two to review.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen reveals the mistake he would avoid with potential future Ferrari F1 move
Discussion about this post