F1 2022: Top 3 rules that need a rethink

F1 as a sport, just like any other sport, is not perfect. It has its flaws and has, over time, tried to iron out these shortcomings. In many cases, it has been successful in getting that done. For instance, scrapping the rule of starting the race on the same set of tires that you set your fastest time with in Q2, is a welcome change this season.

Yet, there are still some rules that are currently in place that need a rethink. Amidst all the mess created by Michael Masi at the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, these rules have been somewhat papered over. In this piece, we take a look at some F1 rules that need a rethink.

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Top F1 rules that could be reviewed

#1 Tires could be changed during a Red Flag stoppage

What the rule states:

Currently, during a Red Flag stoppage, teams can make repairs to the cars and get them back to working condition. This is permitted keeping in mind the safety of the cars. Under the same regulations, however, teams can even change the tires on their cars irrespective of that being a safety concern or not.

Where it gets exploited:

Depending on the timing of the Red Flag stoppage, this can give an undue advantage to the cars that have not stopped for a tire change at the time. This was evident at the 2021 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen gained an advantage because he did not stop before the safety car, while other cars around him did.

Even in the past, this had an impact on the race where a driver was able to gain an undue advantage because of this, for example, Sebastian Vettel in 2011 F1 Monaco GP.

What needs to be changed:

Tweaking the rule to make tire change possible only on the grounds of safety can help remove the 'luck' element that is currently present in this rule.

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#2 5-place grid penalty for subsequent power unit component change

What the rule states:

At present, the first time a car exceeds its quota of allocated parts on the power unit, a 10-place grid penalty is applied per part. For every future violation, however, only a five-place penalty is given.

Where it gets exploited:

The rule was openly exploited by Mercedes last season. The team brought in multiple new ICE unit components knowing very well that the advantage of the new unit can offset the five-place grid penalty they will face.

What needs to be changed:

The purpose of the penalty is to deter the teams from exceeding their allocation. Hence either maintaining a 10-place grid drop for every time the allocation is exceeded, or increasing the penalty for every future violation, should be the way to go.

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#3 Safety Car restart procedure for lapped cars

What the rule states:

According to the current rules, the race director waits for the track to get cleared, and then a lap before the safety car period ends, the lapped cars are allowed to unlap themselves and join at the back of the pack.

What is wrong with the rule?

Because of the regulation, an extra lap and valuable time is lost before the race gets restarted, as another lap is consumed in letting the lapped cars unlap themselves.

What needs to be changed:

The whole exercise of letting the lapped cars unlap themselves just a lap before the safety car comes is too time-consuming. To avoid that, if the lapped cars are allowed to unlap themselves as soon as the race gets neutralized by a safety car then it will save time. Adding on to this, a situation like the one at the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi GP would not reoccur.