Grosjean safety concern over new standing restarts

Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean has expressed his concern over 'standing restarts' set to be introduced for the 2018 season after trials in Barcelona.

The new rules require drivers to return to the grid in their current race positions and once the red flag is lifted, drivers will resume racing as if it was from a normal start procedure.

Grosjean feels that the cold tyres is a massive safety concern however, saying: "It's undriveable. I was one of the first onto the grid so I sat there with (Valtteri) Bottas for a long time.

"When we restarted, it was like it was raining on slicks. Everyone time you upshift, the rears spin and wheelspin and every time you downshift, the rears lock. You go into a corner and slide, it doesn't work.

"Safety wise I'm a bit concerned, because I went to fourth gear and that was the maximum I could do.

"To me it could be carnage, you can lose the car in a straight line, and if people are behind..."

Grosjean of course is no stranger to crashes, having served a one race ban in 2012 for numerous first corner incidents, culminating in the scary pile-up at the Belgian GP.

He continued on to say: "Imagine doing a slow lap and then aborting and then another one. We were down 40 degrees with the tyres. They just don't work".