FIA introduces new rule: 'Drivers who do this will be reported'

F1 Race Director Michael Masi has instituted a new rule for the third free practice and qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. On Friday, a number of incidents arose on the track with drivers driving too slowly around the track to create a gap.

Masi wants to avoid this during the Saturday sessions. Therefore the FIA is introducing a new measure where drivers are not allowed to drive slowly on a certain part of the track. It concerns a specific area at the end of the lap, directly after turn 22 where Charles Leclerc ended up in the wall during FP2.

Violation will be punished

"Any driver intending to create a gap in front of him in order to get a clear lap should not attempt to do this around Turn 23 through to Turn 25. Any driver seen to have done this will be reported to the stewards as being in breach of Article 27.4 of the Sporting Regulations", Masi writes on the website of the FIA.

"At no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person."

The FIA has also extended the white line at the pit lane exit to create a safer situation for cars entering the track.