F1 must never be afraid to disqualify drivers

What a shame for Daniel Ricciardo that a truly sensational home-race podium finish will now, thanks to a row over fuel-flow rates, be decided in the court rooms of Paris.

And I'm miffed for all the boys and girls at Red Bull, who, after the crisis of pre-season Formula 1 testing at Jerez and in Bahrain, saw their brilliant efforts allow them to become Mercedes' main threat in Melbourne only for it all to end in disappointment.

There was a real feel-good factor about what the Australian and Red Bull did to get back in the game; Ricciardo's disqualification was a sad way to end what had been a great weekend for the sport.

But I certainly don't concur with the view that F1's latest technical controversy is an example of grand prix racing shooting itself in the foot.

It's anything but - as it proves once and for all that F1 is a robust sport, where competitors either follow the rules as they are laid out to them, or ignore them and face potential consequences.

Celebrations turned sour on Sunday evening in Australia © LAT

F1's new turbo era delivered an intriguing first weekend and some pretty decent racing to set up what looks like a fascinating campaign.

I don't disagree that F1's popularity in Australia, at a time when the grand prix's long-term future is in doubt, would have been helped if fans had been able to celebrate a hometown hero's joy rather than deciphering lengthy stewards' reports.

But if there's one thing that everyone who follows the sport should be united about, it's that there has to be a level playing field.

Rules must be followed in the same way by everyone, with no exceptions.

If the FIA believes a car is in breach of the regulations, then it has to act: it cannot sit back and let things slide just because it might bury a good story, or rob a hometown hero of a good result.

Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of this case (for that will be up to the FIA courts to decide and Red Bull may yet be proven right), had the governing body let this one slide deliberately - for public-relations reasons and to appease the home crowd - then it would have robbed F1 of any legitimacy to call itself a sport.

Whenever a team or driver competes, it's important for their rivals and the sport's fans to know it's being done by the book. And it does not matter if you win or finish last.

If Red Bull had been allowed to get away with this one no questions asked - knowing that it ignored advice from the FIA and that it potentially gained a fuel advantage from its actions - then where does it stop?

Red Bull ignored advice from the FIA over fuel-flow rules © LAT

Can one team then choose to ignore the FIA weighbridge scales and start running cars underweight but to their own preferred measurements?

Can another team start upping its speed down the pitlane after stops because they reckon the FIA's speed measuring data is wrong?

Can backmarkers start running a bit more fuel through their car, and have a bit extra for the race, just because they do not trust the FIA's measurements? No they can't.

It's vital that all teams operate on the same page - irrespective of whether they like those constraints or not.

The FIA measurement of fuel flow, weight, length and speed has to be final. End of story.

F1 needs its policemen, just as football matches need referees. In both sporting arenas the participants may not like the decisions when the whistle blows, but it's essential there is someone keeping things in line.

The calibration situation of these new fuel-flow sensors is not perfect, and improvements should be made, but this is part of life at the start of a new era of regulations.

F1 fans worldwide at least now know how tightly the sport's new rules are being policed, that all teams operate under the same limitations, and that shenanigans will not be tolerated.

That's actually a good thing for F1, isn't it?