FIA intervenes ahead of qualifying for Italian Grand Prix

The FIA has sent a clear message to Formula 1 teams ahead of qualifying. After the chaos of F2 qualifying, F1 drivers must now adhere to a time limit.

At Monza, the slipstream is always the topic of conversation. Nobody wants to be the first to go out or the first in line because then you give everyone a so-called tow. That tow can easily mean a difference of three to four-tenths, so drivers do everything they can to get the right place in line.

In F1, things have gone wrong at Monza many times in the past, and the race organisers have seen enough after qualifying for Formula 2. It is going to crack down more strictly on driving too slowly. In a message to the teams, the FIA informs them that unnecessary slow driving is not allowed. This includes in- and outlaps.

The FIA also gives a time of 1.41.0. The time is measured from safety car line 2 to safety car line 1. After qualifying, the FIA will investigate whether drivers complied. So it cannot be ruled out that penalties will follow well after qualifying.