The recent British Grand Prix has sparked an intense debate after finishing under safety car conditions, a decision defended by former driver Anthony Davidson. Davidson emphasized the importance of following Formula 1 rules beyond the impact on entertainment.
The race, held at Silverstone, ended with drivers crossing the finish line under the safety car after Max Verstappen stalled at Stowe corner during lap 48 of 52. Although spectators received a message indicating the imminent withdrawal of the safety car, it remained until the end of the competition.
The FIA acknowledged that the message was a mistake, as there were not enough laps left for the full removal of lapped drivers. In statements to the _Sky Sports F1_ program, Davidson dismissed the criticisms regarding the race finishing under these conditions. According to him, the situation is comparable to the controversial conclusion of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where last-minute changes were made to the rules.
Davidson stated: ‘Those who knew the rules understand that they have not changed since then. The dissatisfaction comes from fans wanting the rules written in the sporting regulations to be respected.’ He defended that there cannot be double standards and insisted that if there had been more laps, the situation would have been handled differently.
Additionally, Davidson said that, personally, he has no problem with races that end under the safety car, highlighting that in the final laps, potential results are often already known. Thus, the decision to keep the safety car instead of restarting the race, in his opinion, should not cause such outrage among fans.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
