Max Verstappen crossed the finish line in Monza behind the safety car. There is criticism of the outcome of the race – and the demand for a rule change.
Red Bulls team boss Christian Horner called for a rule adjustment after the safety car crossed the finish line in Monza. The Italian Grand Prix was practically neutralized on the last laps on Sunday (September 11th, 2022), and there could be no more attacks. Max Verstappen won ahead of Charles Leclerc and is about to win the next world title.
The reason was a safety car phase, because Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren, which had been parked, could not be removed from the danger area quickly enough because it was in gear. “The biggest losers” were the fans. “We have to tackle this quickly,” said the Verstappen team boss.
Against the spirit of the sport
Finishing a Formula 1 race behind the safety car goes against the nature of a sport that focuses on action, speed and wheel-to-wheel duels. In a place like Monza, on a course that is world-renowned as a high-speed temple, it seems almost nonsensical. “The race could have been released for the show faster,” said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto. The one who suffered was Leclerc, who no longer got the final chance to overtake Verstappen. Leclerc said: “The end was frustrating. I wish we could have raced.”
But the 24-year-old Dutchman was already clearly heading for victory when his lead in the race over Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was gone by the safety car. Both had had the fastest tires put on again. Even with a restart, the dominant Dutchman would have defended his lead. “I wouldn’t have worried,” he said.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff emphasized that the German race director Niels Wittich, unlike his predecessor, only followed the rules at the highly controversial season finale last year. In Abu Dhabi, the then race director Michael Masi made sure with his decisions that on the last lap after a safety car phase there was still the all-important showdown for the world championship and Verstappen was still able to overtake record champion Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes. After that, the procedure for safety car phases was revised.
World Federation FIA: Safety has top priority
After the race in Monza, the World Automobile Association confirmed that safety is the top priority during a rescue and that it doesn’t matter what phase of the race it is in.
Eight years ago, while salvaging a racing car that had strayed off the track, the young French Ferrari driver Jules Bianchi crashed under a recovery crane with his then Marussia racing car. He died of his most serious injuries in the summer of the following year (2015).
Verstappen can already become world champion in Singapore
Verstappen has recently won five victories, the world champion has already won eleven times this year – and can therefore already secure his second world title in the upcoming race in Singapore (October 2nd, 2022). In the 17th of the 22 races of the season, this is still quite unlikely, but not impossible.
How Max Verstappen wins the title in Singapore:
- Verstappen wins and gets the extra point for the fastest race lap. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finishes eighth at most, Sergio Perez (Red Bull) finishes fourth at most.
- Verstappen wins without fastest race lap. Leclerc is a maximum of ninth, Perez is a maximum of fourth and does not drive the fastest race lap.