Drivers face grid penalties for pitstop failures

  • Published on 26 Jul 2013 10:35
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Safety talks to mandate a minimum time for pitstops in future have fallen at the first hurdle, it has emerged. F1 race director Charlie Whiting met with team bosses in Hungary on Thursday to discuss the matter, as the FIA moves to further bolster safety after a pitlane cameraman was hospitalised in Germany recently.

But according to reports by NBC and the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, the team bosses did not support the proposed move. "We are all in agreement on improving safety," Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is quoted as saying. "However, finding the way to do it is difficult to agree on."

World champion Sebastian Vettel admitted his opposition to the idea of a minimum pitstop time. "The pitstops in formula one are a big part of the spectacle," he is quoted by Speed Week. "It is also a competition between team to team, with the mechanics trying to be faster than the others. It's always clear that there is some risk in motor sport. Clearly if suddenly every driver had to go through a certain corner at a certain speed, then I don't know how many people would watch that. Safety is very important, but the sporting element must also be preserved," the Red Bull driver insisted.

What did emerge from Thursday's Hungaroring meeting is that drivers now face ten-position grid penalties for the following race if they are released from a pitstop without four properly attached wheels. (GMM)

Order the latest Formula 1 merchandise here!

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Spain
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar