Grosjean on FIA: 'Topics being discussed off-track are a bit childish'

Romain Grosjean believes Formula 1 has too many rules off the track this season. For example, there are plenty of examples to list this season where the sport was mostly concerned with events off the track, rather than the racing itself.

Earlier this year, there was a long-running debate about wearing jewellery in the cockpit. Lewis Hamilton in particular was hit hard by the new rule, which banned drivers from wearing jewellery or piercings during race sessions. In the end, the Brit even had to remove his nose piercing. The rule has actually been present in F1 for some time, but it is only since this season that jewellery has been strictly controlled.

There was also controversy recently surrounding Fernando Alonso's punishment after the United States Grand Prix. The Spaniard had to hand in his P7 following a protest by Haas, because his car was in an unsafe condition. A few days later, Alonso got his seventh position back anyway, because the team had not submitted the protest in time.

Topics in F1 are 'childish'

An even more recent example is the budget cap saga surrounding Red Bull Racing. Grosjean believes the sport is shooting itself in the foot with all these topics, as it distracts from what is happening on the track. "Off-track some of the things that that were talked [about] this year were, I don’t know, a little bit childish – just feels like it’s not really necessary. Formula 1 is booming, and the racing is great and fans’ attendance is amazing", he says on the Any Driven Monday programme on Sky Sports.

Grosjean himself would find it difficult to have to drive without his wedding ring. "There’s been so many rules in Formula 1 that, you know, it’s complicated – like the Alonso case. It’s just a bad example of too many rules", says the former F1 driver.