Jenson Button has proposed that Formula 1 adopts an IndyCar and NASCAR-style solution to prevent races finishing behind the Safety Car, but Martin Brundle believes there\u2019s a better fix that wouldn\u2019t create fresh problems.<\/p>\n
The British Grand Prix ended under the Safety Car, which had been deployed on Lap 48 of the 52-lap race, when Max Verstappen went spinning out of the race at Stowe.<\/p>\n
Jenson Button and Martin Brundle offer different Safety Car finish solutions<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n The Silverstone marshals cleared Verstappen\u2019s beached RB22, and it appeared as if the race would get underway with one lap remaining, only for the Safety Car to stay out and lead race leader Charles Leclerc<\/a> as the final lap began.<\/p>\n There had been some confusion as the Safety Car \u201cin this lap\u201d message was shown on Lap 51, but the FIA confirmed that was \u201cdisplayed erroneously due to a software error\u201d.<\/p>\n After all, Article B5.13.5 b) states that \u201conce the message \u2018LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE\u2019 has been sent to all competitors, the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap\u201d. That message only came through on Lap 51, meaning the Safety Car could only come in on Lap 52, the final lap.<\/p>\n And so Bernd Mayl\u00e4nder peeled into the pits, leaving Leclerc to lead the field through Vale and Club and onto the Hamilton Straight to take the chequered flag without a Safety Car in front of him that would mar the photographs.<\/p>\n But it was a neutralised pack that took the chequered flag to the disappointment of the sell-out crowd.<\/p>\n Analysis from the British Grand Prix on PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n British GP conclusions: Leclerc\u2019s Hamilton answer, no Russell fear, in defence of FIA<\/a><\/p>\n Charles Leclerc bounces back as Red Bull\u2019s problems mount: British GP winners and losers<\/a><\/p>\n Button has proposed Formula 1 look at the yellow flag regulations used by IndyCar and NASCAR as a possible solution for the future. He does, however, concede that given there\u2019s no refuelling in Formula 1, it may not be an ideal solution.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be nice,\u201d the 2009 world champion told Sky Sports. \u201cI mean it\u2019s very difficult because of fuel loads and stuff, but other forms of motorsport, especially in the States, they push it an extra lap or push it an extra two laps. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you get a yellow flag in that period it gets pushed on again.\u201d<\/p>\n But, he reiterated, \u201cIt\u2019s tricky because they [F1 cars] are very tight on fuel loads, but it would be nice to see a great finale.\u201d<\/p>\n His fellow Sky commentator Brundle has what could be a better solution, one also drawn from IndyCar racing.<\/p>\n Instead of backmarkers unlapping themselves, they should pull into the pits, let the leaders line up in race order, and then file in behind them. That would negate the lap needed for them to unlap themselves. <\/p>\n After all, says Brundle, they\u2019ve already shown that they are not \u201cgood enough\u201d to fight for the win. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are potential fixes,\u201d the former F1 driver wrote in his column for Sky. <\/p>\n \u201cIn IndyCar, for example, if it\u2019s within the last 10 laps, instead of a wave-by the lapped cars are made to peel off into the pit lane and rejoin at the back of the field. Or we could simply have the lapped runners simply drop behind the pack.<\/p>\n \u201cOr throw a red flag and have a standing restart in race order, although this takes a while. <\/p>\n \u201cInstead, we prioritise runners who haven\u2019t been good enough, for whatever reason, on the day, instead of the leaders and most importantly the fans.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI used to have robust conversations with the very sadly departed Charlie Whiting about this, because it makes no sense especially as the rules state that the Safety Car will recover to the pits on the lap following allowing lapped runners through. <\/p>\n \u201cAbu Dhabi 2021 anybody?\u201d<\/p>\n Former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer reckons throwing a red flag is the best option.<\/p>\n Not only is it not against the regulations, but it would also allow fans to watch the race finish as a race.<\/p>\n \u201cI did call the FIA,\u201d he told the High Performance Racing. \u201cI talked to Nikolas [Tombazis], and I thought what Nikolas told me was the reason that they did it. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd for sure, the FIA followed the current rules, but they have the option to red flag it.<\/p>\n \u201cThey could have easily red-flagged that race. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd when I told him that, he said, \u2018Red flag it for that?\u2019 I said, \u2018No, red flag it for the fans.\u2019 And if you red flag it for the fans, you\u2019re doing nothing that contravenes the rules. <\/p>\n \u201cSo, there is a point where if you want to make it exciting at the end and you want to follow the rules, which you should, unlike in 2021, red-flag it.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? 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