Carlos Sainz has suggested changes to the current Virtual Safety Cars in Formula 1, describing them as they currently are as “a bit unfair”.
The topic of VSCs has been widely discussed after the last race in Madrid, where Lando Norris lost out on the win, as a direct consequence of once.
Pitting from the lead a matter of seconds prior to the VSC being called, Norris therefore missed a ‘free’ pit stop and therefore lost the victory, eventually finishing in third place.
Sainz serves as a director of the Grand Prix Driver’s Association [GPDA], and ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Williams driver was asked about his thoughts on VSC rules from the perspective of his role.
“With my GPDA hat on and even my personal cap on, I think VSCs are quite unfair,” Sainz said. “If the VSC is at the perfect time for P2 to pit and give you a 10-second faster pit stop, and P1 is further up the road and didn’t catch the VSC, I think P1 should be given an equal chance to pit.
“A different thing is Safety Cars, but I think VSCs, as they stand, I honestly think it is a bit unfair that you’re doing the perfect race, the perfect start, the perfect tyre management and a yellow flag at the wrong time gives the win to another driver.
“For me, if it happened to me, it has never happened to me, but if it happens to me, I would hate the rule. I would hate the VSC, and I would believe that the VSC should at least be put there in a more of a competition fairness scenario.”
Carlos Sainz: VSCs shouldn’t “drastically change the outcome of the race”
When asked if he would suggest that the VSC should stay out for longer, Sainz agreed that ‘something like this’ would be better in terms of not significantly altering the outcome of the race.
“Something like this, yes,” he said. “Or close the pit lane. Or, I don’t know, something that doesn’t drastically change the outcome of the race, like sometimes it does.”
If enough drivers are willing to speak out, then it will be intriguing to see whether the sport is open to a potential revision of the rule to stamp out similar instances.
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