The FIA\u2019s decision to end last weekend\u2019s British Grand Prix under safety car conditions was been criticised by drivers, fans and journalists.<\/p>\n
Have we learned nothing from Abu Dhabi 2021? Those complaining should be careful what they wish for\u2026<\/p>\n
In defence of the FIA after British Grand Prix ended under safety car<\/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 A version of this article originally appeared in PlanetF1.com\u2019s conclusions from the 2026 British Grand Prix<\/a><\/p>\n You cannot have it both ways.<\/p>\n You cannot spend the last five years complaining about one of the greatest scandals in the history of sport caused by a governing body failing to follow its own rules\u2026 and then complain when it does.<\/p>\n Half a decade after Abu Dhabi 2021, you might have thought that Article B5.13.5 b) of Formula 1\u2019s sporting regulations would be the most famous rule in motor racing by now, but apparently not.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce the message \u2018LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE\u2019 has been sent to all competitors,\u201d it reads, \u201cthe safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap.\u201d<\/p>\n And because the \u2018lapped cars\u2019 message only arrived at the start of Lap 51 of 52 at Silverstone, that was it. Race over.<\/p>\n Analysis: British Grand Prix<\/p>\n British GP 2026 driver ratings: Hamilton penalty, Verstappen crash, Leclerc\u2019s luck<\/a><\/p>\n Charles Leclerc bounces back as Red Bull\u2019s problems mount: British GP winners and losers<\/a><\/p>\n Could the message for lapped cars to overtake have arrived, say, 20 seconds earlier? Towards the end of Lap 50, so at least there would have been one lap of racing at the end?<\/p>\n Could the whole process of swatting the lapped cars out of the way, and getting the safety car procedure over and done with, be sped up generally?<\/p>\n Potentially. But that\u2019s not the point.<\/p>\n The decision not to restart the British Grand Prix was correct based on the rules as they are written \u2013 however poorly they might be written or however frustrating they may be.<\/p>\n In truth, the way this race ended should have been how the 2021 season finished too.<\/p>\n The point is that all of us \u2013 spectators, reporters, competitors \u2013 should think very carefully about what exactly we want before criticising this decision.<\/p>\n Because it is precisely the misguided belief that a race must never, ever finish behind a safety car that resulted in the abomination of Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n And if you insist on races finishing under green flag conditions no matter what, without a strong race director you will end up with more Abu Dhabis and more rules being overridden on a whim.<\/p>\n Or \u2013 worse \u2013 red flags cynically being thrown for relatively minor incidents just because they occur within sight of the chequered flag and create an opportunity for a grandstand finish.<\/p>\n The line between sport and entertainment in professional sport \u2013 or at least a professional sport with aspirations of being taken seriously \u2013 must always be tiptoed with the utmost care.<\/p>\n Even setting aside the added safety concerns of these 2026 cars deploying and harvesting in an all-or-nothing sprint to the finish, the risk dial turned up to 11, there is a rank unfairness to a race being restarted so late in the day too.<\/p>\n It would not have sat comfortably had Charles Leclerc, a deserving winner of the British Grand Prix, seen his victory hijacked on the final lap.<\/p>\n Just as it has never sat right that Lewis Hamilton had an eighth world championship taken from right under his nose in 2021.<\/p>\n Like politicians, the minimum you can ask of a referee is competence.<\/p>\n Good old boring competence.<\/p>\n Someone prepared to do the right thing \u2013 the fair thing \u2013 rather than the most popular thing, or the thing that leads to the most thrilling outcome.<\/p>\n Ultimately, incompetence is how Formula 1 created a terrible mess for itself back in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n If the memo was missed and competence is now a crime, lock up the race director and throw away the key.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n