Kvyat calls for change
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Since 2014, Formula 1 drivers have received penalty points on their super license for both major and minor offenses during a Grand Prix weekend. Twelve penalty points in twelve months will result in a suspension for one race. A system that is also subject to considerable criticism.
Not fair
Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton , among others, have recently been critical of the penalty point system. Alpha Tauri driver Daniil Kvyat has joined them. "I think some of these points are fair, especially if you drive dangerously and put other drivers in danger," Kvyat says on Motorsport.com . " But some of the other penalties are not fair, so I think the system needs to be reviewed." He thinks Formula 1 drivers should always be able to go to the limit without having to worry too much.
Inconsistent
Above all, Kvyat believes that the handing out of sentences is not very consistent. The lack of clarity when penalty points are sometimes withdrawn, as was the case with Hamilton and his practice start, is not good either, according to the Russian. Kvyat has been in the danger zone before when he had ten penalty points to his name in 2017 and a suspension was looming.
That danger zone did, however, cause a different mindset during a race weekend. "It was sometimes uncomfortable at the start of the weekend, because you can get a penalty for anything. Sometimes you drive out of the pits and don't see someone, so you block them. So that's what I'm talking about. Sometimes it's not just you. But if there's a big crash and someone is clearly to blame, they deserve it," Kvyat explained.