F1: New FIA Race Director redundancy slowing down decision making

Comparing the situation to Abu Dhabi 2021, where controversially the lapped cars between leader Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were cleared, ahead of a last-lap shootout, former F1 driver, now TV commentator David Coulthard said that everyone was robbed of a potential “grandstand” finish at Monza.

Both Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in P2 had pitted for soft tires under Safety Car conditions.

“We were pretty much just kept in the dark,” Coulthard told Channel 4. “There was very little information being fed to us, and clearly different information being sent to the majority of the field.

“The procedure is very clear. Normally, once the instruction is given that lapped cars can retake their position, which is always a bit of a laborious process anyway, and there’s a long-winded explanation as to why they always do that, but it just didn’t happen well, and it’s left me with a deflated feeling.

“And what was an exciting weekend of Grand Prix racing and could have been an incredible grandstand finish on soft tires for a one-lap shootout, we go back less than 12 months, we know how that worked out in Abu Dhabi.”

As part of the restructuring of Race Control, it was announced that a new virtual control room would be put in place to assist the stewards.

In the opinion of Coulthard, this is slowing Race Control down when it comes to their decisions.

“I think that every decision that has been made this year has definitely had a very sort of considered position,” said Coulthard.

“We know from the new president of the FIA, they have a virtual team, almost like the operations rooms that the Formula 1 teams have with their strategists back in base, looking at things in a non-emotional way.

“But that procedure is clearly slowing things down and then not even delivering really sort of fast and on the money decisions.”

Coulthard feels there is a lack of understanding within the FIA that their job is also to put on a show for the fans.

“I think what the FIA don’t really fully understand is that they’re not just a governing body which prioritizes safety and everything, we are a sport, we’re a show,” Coulthard suggested.

“And a little bit like you can’t rerun the countdown to New Year, we have to try and give everybody the opportunity to enjoy the moment, that moment of the checkered flag, the rush to the celebration of the Grand Prix.”