Breaking news
Formula 1
Raikkonen: Harsher penalties would curb "stupidity" in F1
Kimi Raikkonen believes tougher stewarding on bigger incidents would eliminate “stupidity” from Formula 1 drivers.
Scott Mitchell Roberto Chinchero
Published: Nov 5, 2018, 12:58 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The FIA is constantly adapting its stewarding process to try to improve how it polices bad driving, ranging from appointing former racing drivers to its panel of race officials back in 2010 to tweaking how those stewards should consider applying penalties.
New penalty options and a driver penalty points system are among the ways the FIA has recently tried to clamp down on even minor indiscretions and deter repeat offenders.
Stewards have been criticised heavily by several drivers for being too harsh with penalties but Raikkonen believes the perception they have been “very strong” is incorrect.
“It is so random, that you cannot really say it’s very strong,” he told Motorpsort.com.
“If they would be very strong on the right things, then they wouldn't need to do a lot of other stuff.
“If you are strong enough to stop certain stupidity that is happening, than I think we wouldn't have to have these small penalties here and there, for no big reason.
“Sometimes you have a good reason, sometimes not – but it is so random.
“I think if you would be really strict in the main points, then the whole thing would change. Then nobody would start doing stupidity.”
Presently, one licence penalty point is automatically applied when a driver is punished for a driving offence.
Max Verstappen has been a vocal opponent of that system, and is particularly aggrieved by the concept of punishing drivers for small demeanours.
Raikkonen believes if a precedent was set with bigger incidents then “you don't need to give, every time, five seconds or 10 seconds for crazy things”.
“That is the issue, that it looks like it’s very harsh or very hard, but it is actually not hard enough in the right place,” said Raikkonen. “Then the rest would sort itself out.
“I think it just looks a bit silly. Because you get [penalties] for this or that and then last race somebody does [same] and it’s completely the opposite thing.
“If it’s been done a proper way and hard enough on the right thing, where everything starts, then I am sure it would look a lot better [and] it would work out better.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF71H
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images
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 Hamilton wants FIA talks over young drivers' education
Next article Leclerc not "suffering" from Ferrari pressure
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Kimi Raikkonen
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
More from
Ferrari
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
7 min
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
FIA reveals latest ADUO results in final review of 2026 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1 3 h
FIA reveals latest ADUO results in final review of 2026 F1 season
Latest news
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
7 min
F1 2026 calendar update: Imola GP off the table, no plan B if war escalates
A fond farewell to a few WEC favourites
WEC
Monza
A fond farewell to a few WEC favourites
Sebastien Loeb tests again as Project Rally One submits WRC homologation papers
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
Sebastien Loeb tests again as Project Rally One submits WRC homologation papers
Valentino Rossi in new autobiography: '2015 still hurts, Marc Marquez wanted me to lose'
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Valentino Rossi in new autobiography: '2015 still hurts, Marc Marquez wanted me to lose'
Feature
Discover prime content
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