Grosjean: F1 must not get FE contact-levels with relaxed penalties
Romain Grosjean supports Formula 1's race stewards being more relaxed about driving clashes, but says "we don't want Formula E" levels of contact
As Autosport revealed over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, the FIA stewards and race director Michael Masi met the drivers to discuss how best to implement rules of engagement in wheel-to-wheel racing.
This reflects a drive to find the right balance between harsh penalties discouraging drivers from fighting each other, and too much leeway leading to more clashes.
Grosjean, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said that he would welcome things being a bit more relaxed, but without it going to extremes.
"I don't think we want to go crazy, but I think if it's not intentional and you go for an overtaking manoeuvre and you lock up and you touch, then it's not the end of the world," he said.
"If you do a 'Grosjean at Spa 2012' or a '[Nico] Hulkenberg at Spa last year' - OK, it's not intentional, but it's got big consequences so it's got to be penalised. Same as [Sergio] Perez in Singapore [2018].
"But on lap one if you brake a bit late, or what I had in Austin with Charles Leclerc, I felt sorry I spun him, but his race was already dead because he had damage on the front wing and the floor, so I think the consequences were not that bad.
"[That was] a racing incident. His race was compromised, so what do we do? I think we should just say, 'well, it's lap one, everyone wants a position'.
"But we don't want Formula E, because I think Formula E has gone a bit too far. But [in F1] if you touch someone your car is broken anyway."
"If I'm the head of the GPDA, it's because I'm interested in the sport and I want to make it better," he explained.
"It was really good from Garry and Michael to hear what we've got to say.
"Because the fact is we don't want to go into a braking zone trying to overtake someone and thinking 'oh, if I lock up and I touch him, that's going to be a penalty'. We want racing.
"Shit's going to happen over 21 races, but it always balances itself, I think, in the end. It's good that we can go racing, and we can fight.
"Obviously there are a few things that we don't want to see, and moving under braking is a big one, because to me that's the biggest danger nowadays.
"If that's really something we're strict on, for the rest, we should be allowed to race and have fun."
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