Afrigather Gasly has been on the centre of a give attention to F1’s driver penalty factors system after he totted up 10 factors – simply two shy of the restrict earlier than a race ban kicks in – final 12 months.
With a few of his factors coming from minor offences like monitor limits, his state of affairs prompted dialogue over the winter about whether or not the system wanted a rethink to make sure harmless drivers didn’t fall foul of a rule initially supposed to eradicate harmful driving.
In response, and as revealed by Motorsport.com, the FIA has agreed to vary the best way through which penalty factors are distributed from the beginning of the 2023 season.
To any extent further, relatively than offences like breaching monitor limits being included, factors will solely be given out for particular circumstances of harmful driving.
Whereas that’s excellent news for drivers with quite a lot of factors, because it minimises the chance of harmless errors pushing them over the restrict for a race ban, there stays some unease in regards to the state of affairs.
That a lot was clear when Gasly, who was outspoken in regards to the matter final 12 months, didn’t appear impressed with the newest state of affairs.
Requested by Motorsport.com in Saudi Arabia if he welcomed the brand new approach that factors got out, he mentioned: “I will not even reply that query. You get it [my response] the best way that you really want. However I will not make a remark.”
It’s understood that Gasly’s stance is as a result of he and his crew really feel that the change of strategy to what offences earn factors must be utilized to those that have already fallen foul of them on their licences.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A523
Photograph by: Alpine
Alpine crew boss Otmar Szafnauer is evident that, if the FIA has accepted that handing out penalty factors for monitor limits is fallacious, then these drivers who’ve been punished for them ought to have these factors eliminated.
“There’s two components to the rule,” Szafnauer instructed Motorsport.com. “One, going ahead, what do you have to get penalty factors for? And I feel it is proper that you must get penalty factors for not issues like monitor limits, however harmful driving, which was at all times the intent.
“I do not know the way issues like monitor limits or being too distant from the protection automobile ever acquired in there, as a result of it is not harmful driving. Anyway, that is one factor, and I agree with the FIA’s [new] interpretation.
“Now, ought to that be retroactive? I am at all times going to say sure, primarily as a result of I feel that is truthful.
“If all of us rise up, elevate our palms and say we made a mistake: then appropriate the error wanting backwards not simply wanting forwards.”
It has emerged that Szafnauer introduced the matter up in the latest assembly of the F1 Fee and proposed the thought of drivers having factors earned for minor offences wiped off their licences.
Whereas a few of Alpine’s rivals thought it was a good suggestion, the matter didn’t get the bulk assist wanted to be carried out.
Talking about his proposal, Szafnauer mentioned: “I used to be within the minority.
“There have been in all probability three or 4 out of the ten groups that supported it.
“A few of people who didn’t admitted the rationale they aren’t supporting it was for opportunistic causes, hoping that one thing occurs to us.”
Szafnauer admitted that there was little hope of with the ability to persuade rival groups to vary their thoughts over the matter.
Gasly’s 10 licence factors have come from a mix of driving incidents and sporting rule breaches.
The six factors he has for his collisions final 12 months with Lance Stroll in Spain and with Sebastian Vettel in Austria, plus not slowing for the purple flag within the Japanese Grand Prix, would all have earned the identical sanction beneath the brand new FIA strategy.
Nonetheless, the 2 factors he earned for leaving too large a niche behind the protection automobile in Austin, after which the purpose every for a monitor limits breach in Austria and operating off monitor and gaining a bonus in Mexico as he battled Stroll, would seemingly not have been given out.
With factors staying on a licence for 12 months, Gasly gained’t shake any off till 22 Might, which is the Monday after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
