Max Verstappen elaborates on the major reason why F1 drivers incorrectly line up on the starting grids

Max Verstappen has sympathized with his fellow drivers who have been penalized for their incorrect starting positions on the grid, chalking it down to poor visibility from the cockpit of modern F1 cars.

In two races run in 2023, Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso have both been handed five-second time penalties for incorrectly lining up in their grid box after the formation laps. Ocon's penalty compounded into multiple infractions, while Alonso was involved in a protracted battle after the checkered flag that saw him claim, lose, and then reclaim his second podium finish of the season.

Max Verstappen believes any driver on the grid can be susceptible to this error owing to the nature of the new generation of F1 cars, with visibility not being the best. This has always been an issue in this form of single-seater racing, which has only become more pronounced with the addition of longer noses, larger wheels, and wheelbrows.

In an interview with motorsport.com following the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP, Max Verstappen said:

"The visibility is just really poor in the car, that is probably the main issue where you end up sometimes not fully correctly in your box. It is painful when it happens but it's a bit the same with the white line with track limits.

"Sometimes, you argue: did you gain anything going wide or not, going outside of it? I think at one point we do need a rule. It looks really silly if people start to take advantage of going really left and right but I don't know what we can do better."

Max Verstappen is one of multiple voices on the F1 grid who are asking for improved rules about these types of infringements.

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Sergio Perez and George Russell back Max Verstappen's explanation about poor visibility in modern F1 cars

Max Verstappen's concerns about poor visibility in the cockpit of F1 cars have been backed by his teammate Sergio Perez and the chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), George Russell.

Following the penalty drama involving Fernando Alonso at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, race winner Perez admitted it was too difficult to ascertain the stopping point to be in the correct position in the grid box. The Mexican said:

"It's really difficult just to see where you’ve stopped. In my opinion I just overdid it and I stopped too early, but you have no idea when you are in the car. You don't know if you went too far behind or too far forward."

The 33-year-old went on to add:

"We need better visibility to be able to come up with a better idea than we currently have it. It's good that there is a rule in place, but at the same time sometimes it's like luck, to be honest, where you position yourself."

Russell, who temporarily benefitted from the penalty that Alonso incurred before being demoted to P4 in the classification, also weighed in on the situation. The Briton said:

"It's incredibly difficult. We're sat so low and to put some perspective, we only see probably the top four or five inches of the tyre so you can't actually see the ground itself. We've got these big long yellow lines pointing out…

"I can't even see the yellow line, let alone the white lines determining your lateral position. It’s really, really tough so that's why I think in this regard we need to show a little bit more common sense."

It remains to be seen if common sense will prevail in the FIA quarters in time for the third race of the season, the 2023 F1 Australian GP.