It's high time these F1 rules are revised

In recent years, and especially in 2021, there has been a lot of talk about the rules in F1. Therefore, it might be high time to review some of the regulations in Formula 1 .

Away with DRS

One of the most controversial aspects of Formula 1 is undoubtedly the Drag Reduction System. Better known as DRS. Formula 1 is supposed to be the king of motorsports, the place where the best drivers in the world show their worth. DRS just makes it very easy to overtake a driver on many tracks, when you are within a second of your opponent.

Of course there is something to be said for DRS. The current cars in F1 create so much dirty air and are also so wide, that on some tracks it is almost impossible to overtake the one in front of you without DRS. Think of places like Hungary or Spain, where most overtaking is only possible on the long straights.

The new regulations which will come into effect from 2022 will however deal with these problems. The simplified cars will cause less of a problem with dirty air. It is therefore a good time to think about doing away with the Drag Reduction System too.

Another way F1 drivers really have to do their best to overtake is by making DRS only available on a number of problematic tracks. That way, next year can be tested whether the whole system is still necessary. And then nobody can say anymore that the best drivers in the world have to 'cheat' to overtake the driver in front of them.

Unfair and disproportionate penalties

Another aspect which has caused a lot of controversy in recent years is the penalties imposed by the stewards. Whether it's about the interpretation of the rules, the way a driver is punished or the height of the punishment, almost every Grand Prix there is something to complain about.

That the rules are interpreted differently or that the penalties are higher or lower, is of course because Formula 1 doesn't work with a fixed team of stewards. Every race there is a different group of stewards, who look at an incident in a different way. Occasionally, precedents are set, such as during the rain of penalties at the Austrian Grand Prix , but mostly it's a matter of guessing what the penalty will be. One solution would be to have a permanent stewards' team, but the FIA could also attach clearer penalties to a particular incident. That way it is a lot easier to understand for the drivers and the fans.

The only thing that is still difficult to explain to a driver is that he can get penalty points on his license for a mistake the team made. In the past drivers have come close to being banned from racing in this way. Lately it has been taken into account more, but it would be nice for the drivers if there were clear rules about it. And with the cost cap, a big fine is now a real possibility for the FIA ​​to ensure that teams stick to the rules - even if they are as rich as Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing .

Race against the clock

The schedule of an average race weekend is something every F1 fan can dream about these days. There is a standard amount of time between each session. One session is certainly not the other, which can sometimes cause problems.

When a driver crashes his car in the first free practice, there is a big chance that he will miss the second free practice. Problematic, but there will be no panic in the garage. And an accident during VT2 will not cause many problems. The same cannot be said for a crash in VT3. In recent years, we have seen many times that a driver could not make the qualification, due to a crash in the last Free Practice. And that's not always a case of "it's your own fault".

It might be a good idea for the FIA ​​to take a look at the rules for times between sessions. If two sessions succeed each other quickly, with an important one being the last, this could have major consequences. Especially now that the FIA ​​and Liberty Media want to organize more and more sprint races.

A signature under the gentlemen's agreement?

The gentlemen's agreement. It is an agreement which is often used, but which doesn't exist in practice. It is an unwritten rule for drivers not to overtake each other during a warm-up lap. But more and more we see drivers breaking the 'rules', after which the affected driver is angry in front of the camera talking about the gentlemen's agreement. And more and more drivers are now openly questioning whether the whole agreement is still valid.

Maybe it is now finally time to make the gentlemen's agreement an official rule. For the drivers it would make it clear what is and what is not allowed during qualifying. The FIA ​​has already introduced a new rule, which means that drivers are not allowed to drive too slowly during their in-lap, so they can't make sure that a driver is not fast enough to cross the line. From now on it will be purely the responsibility of the team and the driver and pushing and pulling with a few seconds left on the clock will be ended.