Following a recent string of incidents, Wittich has reintroduced the maximum qualifying lap time rule ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit.
The decision to reinstate this rule was prompted by the chaos witnessed during the Italian Grand Prix. Drivers were vying to secure a clean lap, resulting in a dangerous build-up of cars in the final sector. The risk of high-speed collisions with nearly stationary vehicles became a cause for concern.
In response to these incidents, Wittich made the call to apply the rule to every single lap in qualifying, not just the in-laps, as is typically the case. This proactive measure aims to prevent any further compromising of safety on the track.
However, there was a brief departure from this approach during the Singapore Grand Prix, where the ‘all laps’ rule was temporarily dropped. This allowed drivers to slow down on their out-laps, leading to a nail-biting moment in Q1 when nearly half the field clustered closely together. Max Verstappen even faced a summons to the stewards for impeding Logan Sargeant, a charge from which he was eventually cleared.
In a recent communication to teams and drivers, Wittich reiterated the reintroduction of the ‘all laps’ rule at Suzuka. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe and orderly event.
According to Wittich’s message, “For the safe and orderly conduct of the event, any driver that exceeds the maximum time from the second Safety Car line to the first Safety Car line on ANY lap during and after the end of the qualifying session, including in-laps and out-laps, may be deemed to be going unnecessarily slowly.”
It’s worth noting that exceeding the maximum time does not automatically result in a penalty. Stewards have the discretion to waive penalties if a driver can provide compelling and acceptable evidence for their slower lap times.
A precedent for this was set at Monza when Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc exceeded the time limit. Investigation revealed that they had deviated from the racing line to allow faster cars to pass without obstruction, justifying their actions.
Following the conclusion of the second practice session on Friday, Wittich will communicate the specific lap-time threshold that will be enforced during qualifying on Saturday at Suzuka.
The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka promises to be a pivotal race in the Formula 1 calendar. As the 17th race of the season, it carries historical significance, having crowned 13 World Champions on its iconic track since 1987.
Suzuka Circuit’s challenging features, including the infamous ‘S’ Curves, the high-speed 130R corner, the tricky Degner Curve, and the renowned crossover, continue to captivate drivers and fans alike, ensuring that this race will be a thrilling spectacle.
