The peculiarity of the free tyre change that’s allowed beneath Method 1’s purple flag guidelines has lengthy been a supply of frustration to drivers.
When the scenario crops up, prefer it did in Brazil final weekend and on the Monaco GP in Might, those that are caught on the improper aspect of issues bemoan the sheer randomness of it.
In Monaco, it was all about how the arduous compound starters had been compromised by the first-lap purple flag that allowed all of the medium runners a free change to the arduous.
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At Interlagos, George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc had been all left ruing what that they had misplaced by switching to recent inters as worsening rain arrived, whereas those who carried on in difficult circumstances obtained a free tyre change after Franco Colapinto’s big crash.
The obvious luck of the draw is one thing that again and again will get criticised, and but nobody has give you the fairer resolution.
Again on the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Norris was operating sixth early on when he made a cease beneath security automobile circumstances for Mick Schumacher’s accident – which dropped him to 14th.
In idea, it was about enjoying the lengthy recreation as these forward of him that didn’t cease would wish to take action beneath full race circumstances afterward – so lose extra time.
Nevertheless, his plan fell flat when a purple flag was introduced out, which handed everybody forward of him a free cease and left the Briton caught down the order.
Talking afterwards, his criticisms of issues had been much like what he stated on Sunday evening after Brazil.
“After all, I am all the time on the unhealthy finish of it, so it in all probability sucks extra for me than anybody, however I believe it is only a very unfair rule that ought to be taken away,” he stated.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, makes a pit cease
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
“I believe they need to change it to at least one necessary pit cease with two completely different tyre units wanted for use, after which I believe that is acceptable.
“However this simply ruins every thing, to be sincere. You set a lot effort in for it to be taken away for some silly rule.”
However whereas the unfairness facet is the factor that annoys drivers probably the most, final weekend’s race at Interlagos has put into focus one other issue that’s barely extra worrying.
It’s that in a moist race like Interlagos the place circumstances are worsening and there’s the potential for a purple flag, drivers are virtually inspired to remain out on far-from-perfect rubber for much longer than they ideally would.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who stopped beneath the VSC circumstances triggered by Nico Hulkenberg’s off, stated that the rain that was coming down had left the observe treacherous – however the lead vehicles clearly felt it definitely worth the threat of staying out.
“I don’t assume we anticipated it to rain as a lot because it did after which actually, the hardest a part of the race was behind the security automobile, making an attempt to remain on the observe,” stated the Australian.
“I believe it sort of uncovered a little bit of the problem now we have with the moist tyre – when everyone seems to be begging for a purple flag however refusing to go onto the moist tyre as a result of it’s so unhealthy.
“A fairly harmful scenario to have vehicles actually struggling to remain on the observe behind the security automobile. But it surely’s not likely something new. Hopefully, we will attempt to a minimum of change it now.”
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB20, on the restart
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures
Race winner Max Verstappen, whose victory was made simpler by the purple flag scenario, admitted that issues had been proper on the knife edge as he stayed out – however there was no means he was going to cease.
“When some pitted, the rain was coming, we stayed out, which was very sketchy,” defined the Dutchman.
“After which I noticed Esteban [Ocon] in entrance of me flying, like 4 seconds a lap sooner and I used to be like, ‘I am simply comfortable to maintain the automobile on the observe’.
“At one level it was simply, we’d like a purple flag. It was simply undriveable, even on excessive tyres.”
Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur, who had pitted Leclerc early however had dropped him into site visitors, conceded that the problem groups face is playing on staying out and never crashing.
“For certain you may say on the finish of the day, should you keep on observe, ready for the purple flag, it is the appropriate name,” he stated. “However should you crash, you look silly…”
McLaren group boss Andrea Stella stated that, with circumstances worsening, there was a security facet to the scenario – and that whereas there have been aggressive good points available by staying out and hoping for a purple flag, in his thoughts there was just one plan of action he most well-liked.
Talking concerning the Brazil podium finishers who all stayed out, Stella stated: “I’m right here congratulating them on their selections.
“However personally, I’m not very comfy to depart a automobile on the market that has tyres which might be fairly worn with that quantity of water. With out the purple flag we’d be commenting on a special race.”
The best way to cease drivers from taking the gamble and pushing on with unsuitable tyres would theoretically be solved by not permitting the free tyre change that’s allowed within the laws.
If drivers knew {that a} purple flag wouldn’t permit them a free swap, then selections on which tyre to decide to could be primarily based purely on which is most fitted to the circumstances – and never a lot about playing in sticking it out when circumstances are too dire within the hope of being saved by a stoppage.
However the purple flag guidelines are in place for security causes and never aggressive ones. It has lengthy been accepted that altering tyres needs to be allowed beneath purple flag circumstances due to the chance of particles from accidents inflicting punctures or different points.
Forcing drivers to stay to their present tyres when there’s a probability they might have run over damaged carbon fibre of different components on the observe, or been concerned in an accident themselves, could be an unbelievable security threat and lunacy to have within the guidelines.
There have, nonetheless, been quite a few solutions up to now of how to doubtlessly enhance issues and make them fairer.
One thought, that may greatest work for dry races to keep away from the potential for a free cease, could be to permit groups to vary tyres within the stops – but when they wished to it must be for a similar compound.
This state of affairs would forestall what occurred in Monaco, and in addition make sure that drivers who had stopped to modify compounds beneath full race circumstances weren’t unfairly punished.
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Group VCARB 01, makes a pit cease
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
Nevertheless, it might not have prevented penalising drivers in Brazil as a result of the inter is finally one of the best tyre for the rain – as a result of by the point the total moist is introduced into motion, usually visibility is so unhealthy that racing doesn’t happen.
One other thought could possibly be to permit the groups the choice to vary tyres if they’re broken, but when they achieve this they’ve to drag themselves out of the race order and drop to the again.
That means, there wouldn’t be an incentive to remain out longer than needed in difficult circumstances – as a result of finally if there’s a purple flag the drawback could possibly be better if it’s good to change rubber. And should you really feel you’re nonetheless on the appropriate tyres, you may preserve them on and take your cease later.
Or what about Norris’s suggestion after Saudi 2021, of tweaking the sporting guidelines to demand that every driver makes a compulsory cease beneath regular race circumstances, no matter a purple flag?
All these concepts are issues which have been mentioned, and drivers have their very own opinions about what may be performed to make it higher – however sadly, F1 has by no means moved issues ahead a lot.
Requested after Monaco whether or not he had some hope of the purple flag tyre rule being revisited by groups and the FIA, he stated: “I do not know. There are various issues that they haven’t modified, in all probability as a result of they do not hearken to the drivers.”
5 months his phrases nonetheless seem to ring true.