Max Verstappen wants tighter rules around yellow flag regulations in qualifying after the George Russell controversy at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Mercedes star’s pole position lap in Austria split opinions after he held onto P1 despite driving past a yellow flag following Verstappen’s crash.
Carlos Sainz called it dangerous and claimed that drivers who cause a yellow during qualifying should receive a grid penalty.
He also said that Russell should never have been able to finish his lap, a point that was echoed by Verstappen.
“I think when someone does it deliberately, there should be an even bigger penalty,” he said.
“But from my side, of course, it was out of my control what happened there. It’s a topic that we have been talking about for a long time, and in other series, when you create a double, whatever yellow or red, you lose your lap.
“But that still doesn’t solve what actually happened besides that. People are still completing a lap, or others are backing out of it. Now you, of course, can read the rules really well. You complete your lap and you’re allowed to keep it.
“But I think, first of all, it should not have been a single yellow. That is at least a double yellow or a red, first of all.
“The driver then, of course, optimises around it. I think that’s fair play. I probably would have tried to do the same. That’s just how it goes.
“But it should not even be allowed or be possible to finish your lap like that. That’s, for me, the main concern in all of it.”
The Red Bull star also accused drivers of exploiting the rules.
He added: “I’ve had this discussion many times where I felt like drivers have been quite close to playing with that limit,” he added.
“I think we’re still not really on top of those things. With a single yellow, how much you have to slow down, or with a double yellow.
“Some slow down more than others. One is good, one is bad. It’s a very tough subject.”