Niki Lauda has called upon the FIA’s race stewards to back off investigating every on-track incident, but rather to let the drivers sort it out themselves.
It was reported over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend that the FIA would be more lenient when it came to clashes, but it still investigated a number of incidents during the race.
Lauda believes they need to go further and scrap the idea of investigating an incident during a race altogether.
“I went to Charlie [Whiting] and Bernie [Ecclestone] and said we need to bring the old days back, like when [Nelson] Piquet hit the other guy [Eliseo Salazar] at Hockenheim.
“You should leave it to the drivers,” he added. “Don’t interfere in all this.”
The three-time champion reckons it would result in a better on-track action as drivers would be more inclined to fight one another without the fear of being penalised.
“It has to be stopped. If after the race somebody wants to protest because of it being unfair, fine he should do it. It costs a lot of money, a lot of lawyers and a lot of bullshit. So this will not happen.
“I would let these drivers be free to race. There is too much control of everything.”
Ecclestone agrees with Lauda’s sentiments and also recommends the FIA needn’t get involved during the race.
“Drivers are racers and they want to go racing, so let them do so,” said the 83-year-old. “The stewards should be locked in their room and take a look into any infringements after the race, not during the competition.”
Discussion about this post