A recent comment by Otmar Szafnauer, former director of the Alpine team, has cast doubt on the FIA’s decision at the British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone. Szafnauer believes that the team could have reached a different conclusion and red-flagged the race after Max Verstappen’s withdrawal.
The Grand Prix concluded behind the safety car, with Charles Leclerc from Ferrari taking the first position, his first win of the season, followed by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes.
The situation occurred on lap 48 of 52 when Verstappen got stuck in the gravel at Stowe. Although the race control followed the guidelines established for lapping, the remaining time was not enough to resume the competition, leaving the large crowd of fans present without an exciting finish.
In an episode of the podcast High Performance Racing, Szafnauer argued that the FIA missed the opportunity to provide a memorable spectacle, as they could have red-flagged the race, adhering to the rules while also offering a spectacular moment for the fans.
The next championship event will coincide with the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, scheduled for July 17-19.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_82fc33671c940f581765c46a81a1a214404a184e