Ex-F1 driver Gerhard Berger slams European F3 officialdom

In an interview with leading Italian weekly , Berger waded into the debate on driving standards following the chaotic round at Monza.

Team bosses and race officials have been called to a meeting with the to try to hammer out a way forward before this weekend's Spa round.

Berger, who stood down from the Commission last December to make way for Stefano Domenicali, said: "It's not the drivers who are wrong, but the race director.

"What do they want? To transform F3 into F1, even though everyone in the grand prix paddock knows the mania of penalising drivers for everything is wrong?

"I heard that now they may no longer have an F3 race at Monza, that it's dangerous, that they must establish a code of conduct for when two cars are on the same line.

"Are you kidding me? F3 has always had close-fought races at Monza that have always been fabulous."

"If some drivers involved in accidents are wrong, they should take it with them, be penalised, all start on the bottom, but what's the point stopping a race in advance?

"F3 has always been the best school for a driver, and should remain so."

Ferrari Driver Academy boss Luca Baldisserri, who attends races to support protege Lance Stroll, also expressed criticism of the officials to Autosprint.

"On Sunday morning, to send them all the way home, the race leadership clearly showed itself inadequate to handle the situation," said Baldisserri.

"It's as if the referee of a football match, when no longer able to control the players, whistles the end of the game in advance.

"Before they get on track at Spa, the Federation should give an official warning to all the drivers.

"We must start again from scratch, and I expect even greater severity by the stewards.

"We don't need to stop races - you can instead use the drive-through penalty for more severe blocking.

"Such penalties cannot be imposed lightly, but when you need it makes no sense to hold back."