Formula 1
Alpine calls for rethink over F1 grid box rules
Alpine Formula 1 sporting director Alan Permane has called for a rethink over the grid box rules that caught out Esteban Ocon in Bahrain and Fernando Alonso in Saudi Arabia.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Mar 22, 2023, 3:50 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In both cases, the drivers were deemed to have placed their cars too far to one side of their grid boxes at the start, and both subsequently received penalties.
The decisions by the stewards were based on an addition to the International Sporting Code that was introduced for 2022, which says that a car "must be stationary at its allocated grid box with no part of the contact patch of its front tyres outside of the lines (front and sides) at the time of the start signal".
While the ISC applies to F1, the same wording was subsequently added to the FIA Sporting Regulations for 2023, which is why the matter has come under more scrutiny this season.
The problem that drivers have is that they have limited visibility as they approach their grid spots, and while they can judge where to stop by looking for references out of the side of the cockpit, it's easy to be a little too far to the left or right.
There is no specific regulation regarding the width, although it’s understood that race director Niels Wittich has told teams that he is introducing a standard width this season.
"I think what seems a little bit draconian is this new regulation of where the car has got to stop on the grid box," said Permane.
"No one is getting an advantage from being 10 centimetres over on one side or the other side. I don't quite really see why.
"And they're free to paint the grid boxes as wide as they want, there doesn't seem to be regulation for that.
"I don't know if that'll be reviewed, but giving people penalties for having their wheels over in a car where the drivers can't see those lines – they can see them as they come up and then as they get close to them, they just disappear – it feels harsh, it feels unnecessary.
Mechanics make final preparations on the grid prior to the start
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
"Esteban today, he's been concentrating on it of course all week. He said he got to the grid today and he had no idea where he was. He said you cannot see, you don't know at all. It's a strange one."
Read Also:
- How the FIA's Alonso Saudi Arabian GP penalty U-turn played out
- Ten things we learned at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Hamilton being hurt by specific design element on W14 F1 car
Permane expects the subject to be discussed in the next meeting of F1's sporting advisory committee.
"I'm sure we will, we've got a meeting later this week, we can bring it up."
Some observers have questioned why Ocon subsequently received a second penalty in Bahrain for work starting on the car too quickly after he took his original penalty, while Alonso's initial penalty – for a jack touching the car – was ultimately rescinded.
However, Permane said Alpine did not contest the Ocon judgement.
"Ours was a fair cop last week, we were four-tenths took quick, so no argument at all from us on that."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Sainz: Ferrari already identified development path amid F1 race pace weakness
Next article Jeddah confirmed pace of AMR23, says Aston Martin F1 boss
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Latest news
Racing Bulls boss ‘understands frustration’ over driver decision delay
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
56 min
Racing Bulls boss ‘understands frustration’ over driver decision delay
Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
6 h
Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title
Chase Briscoe leads NASCAR Cup Homestead practice; Larson brushes wall and Reddick wrecks
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
10 h
Chase Briscoe leads NASCAR Cup Homestead practice; Larson brushes wall and Reddick wrecks
Hamlin and Bell left with what could have been in NASCAR Chase
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
10 h
Hamlin and Bell left with what could have been in NASCAR Chase
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe