Rumor: Drivers to lose fastest lap time if they cause red flag in Quals

In IndyCar and Formula E, if a driver causes a red flag in qualifying, they lose their fastest lap time.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez was accused of crashing deliberately in Monaco GP qualifying this year to prevent anyone from beating him from pole.

McLaren’s Zak Brown brought the subject up in the meeting of the F1 Commission in Abu Dhabi, who agreed that it should be discussed in the FIA’s Sporting Advisory Committee, the body that helps to frame the regulations.

“I think it should be (lose fastest lap) if you cause a red flag or yellow flag, for effectively impeding a driver from completing their lap,” he said when asked about the matter by Motorsport.com.

“They do that in other forms of motorsports, the penalties, you just lose your fastest lap from that session, and all the drivers tend to do one lap runs so that would penalize the driver if it was intentional or unintentional. Because you’ve messed up someone else’s laps.

“I think that’s an easy solution, it can be implemented right away. You cause a driver to have to back out, you lose your lap, you get to go again, and maybe you won’t have a chance.

“Maybe you will or you have to use another set of tires. I think that’s the easiest way to solve it.”

“I agree with Zak also that this is a good idea,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

“I think it exists in Formula E, if I’m not mistaken, that your quickest lap is deleted. So that’s something that we can implement.”