Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

The key threats facing F1 with thunderstorms forecast for Miami GP

Feature
Formula 1
Miami GP
The key threats facing F1 with thunderstorms forecast for Miami GP

Hamilton wants "a seat at the table" for F1 drivers in rules talks - but is it viable?

Feature
Formula 1
Miami GP
Hamilton wants "a seat at the table" for F1 drivers in rules talks - but is it viable?

Verstappen: F1 rule changes for Miami GP are "just a tickle"

Formula 1
Miami GP
Verstappen: F1 rule changes for Miami GP are "just a tickle"

Honda details "countermeasures" for Miami GP after horror start to F1 2026 with Aston Martin

Formula 1
Miami GP
Honda details "countermeasures" for Miami GP after horror start to F1 2026 with Aston Martin

Top five roles on Motorsport Jobs this week

General
Top five roles on Motorsport Jobs this week

VR46: 'Plan A' is to keep di Giannantonio for MotoGP 2027

MotoGP
Spanish GP
VR46: 'Plan A' is to keep di Giannantonio for MotoGP 2027

What Apple TV’s Miami Grand Prix coverage means for the future of F1 in the U.S.

Formula 1
Miami GP
What Apple TV’s Miami Grand Prix coverage means for the future of F1 in the U.S.

Top 10 worst follow-ups to title-winning F1 cars

Feature
Formula 1
Top 10 worst follow-ups to title-winning F1 cars

Kimi Raikkonen pushes for F1 to change its blue flag rules

Kimi Raikkonen has called for a change to Formula 1's blue flag regulations after he was caught behind traffic in the Monaco Grand Prix while fighting for the win

Raikkonen felt he lost too much time behind backmarkers around the pitstops in Monaco, which cost him time relative to team-mate and eventual race winner Sebastian Vettel.

The subject came up in Friday's drivers' briefing in Montreal, where Raikkonen raised it with F1 race director Charlie Whiting.

Under the International Sporting Code drivers have "to allow the faster driver past at the first available opportunity" after the FIA blue lights in their cockpits are illuminated.

Drivers first get a "pre-warning' when they are three seconds ahead of a car almost a lap ahead, which the FIA says "should be used by the team of the slower car to warn their driver he is soon going to be lapped and that allowing the faster car through should be considered a priority."

Last year the FIA changed the gap that automatically triggers the signals that a driver has to move over for the leading cars, reducing it from 1.5s to 1.0s.

While the reduction in time gap worked well in 2016, some drivers have reported that it has become more problematic this season because of the difficulties inherent in following other cars with the current aero package.

Following Raikkonen raising the issue in Canada, Whiting told the drivers that the gap won't be changed, reportedly pointing out that drivers don't seem to have any trouble when they are racing the car ahead.

Also discussed in the briefing was the question of drivers going very slowly at the approach to the final corner in Montreal as they try to create a gap in front before starting their flying lap - something Lewis Hamilton was keen to discuss with Whiting on Friday.

Carlos Sainz Jr received a reprimand after slowing and not realising that Kevin Magnussen, who was behind, was on a flying lap.

One suggestion was that drivers create their gap earlier, and don't go slowly beyond the DRS line, which is around a third of the way along the preceding straight.

Previous article Mercedes' approach to F1 2017 tyre testing probably wrong - Wolff
Next article Lewis Hamilton upstages Ferrari to take Canadian Grand Prix pole

Top Comments

Latest news