David Coulthard, former Formula 1 driver, has urged the FIA to give more priority to entertainment following the anticlimactic finish of the British Grand Prix, which concluded under the safety car.
The GP, held at Silverstone, saw Charles Leclerc achieve his first victory at this legendary circuit and Ferrari’s 250th victory in the competition. However, the final excitement was diminished when an accident in the closing stages of the race led to the deployment of the safety car, removing the opportunity for a thrilling finish.
On the Up To Speed podcast, the Scot argued that there should be more flexibility with the rules to maintain the entertainment aspect. He stated: “I would prefer it not to end this way. There are rules, but we are entertainment and we need to keep this as the main focus.”
Coulthard acknowledged that while it is important to follow the rules, he believes the procedure for releasing the paired cars could be sped up, adding that a race restart would have provided a better resolution to the spectacle.
Despite the pressure on the FIA race director, he emphasized that the competition should take note of this situation to improve in the future. “We learn from mistakes,” Coulthard concluded, highlighting the disappointment caused by not having a competitive finish.
After the Grand Prix, the FIA clarified that the regulation regarding the safety car requires that one lap be completed after the evacuation procedure, which explains why the race ended with the safety car on track. Additionally, a software error was reported that led to an incorrect message regarding the withdrawal of the safety car.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
