The peculiarity of the free tyre change that’s allowed beneath System 1’s purple flag guidelines has lengthy been a supply of frustration to drivers.
When the state of affairs crops up, prefer it did in Brazil final weekend and on the Monaco GP in Could, those that are caught on the mistaken facet of issues bemoan the sheer randomness of it.
In Monaco, it was all about how the onerous compound starters have been compromised by the primary lap purple flag that allowed all of the medium runners a free change to the onerous.
At Interlagos, George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc have been all left ruing what they’d misplaced by switching to recent inters as worsening rain arrived, whereas those who carried on in difficult situations obtained a free tyre change after Franco Colapinto’s large crash.
The obvious luck of the draw is one thing that again and again will get criticised, and but nobody has give you the fairer answer.
Again on the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Norris was working sixth early on when he made a cease beneath security automotive situations for Mick Schumacher’s accident – which dropped him to 14th.
In concept, it was about taking part in the lengthy sport as these forward of him that didn’t cease would wish to take action beneath full race situations in a while – so lose extra time.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, makes a pit cease
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Nonetheless, his plan fell flat when a purple flag was introduced out, which handed everybody forward of him a free cease and left the Briton caught down the order.
Talking afterwards, his criticisms of issues have been much like what he mentioned on Sunday evening after Brazil.
“After all I am at all times on the dangerous finish of it, so it most likely sucks extra for me than anybody, however I feel it is only a very unfair rule that ought to be taken away,” he mentioned.
“I feel they need to change it to 1 obligatory pit cease with two completely different tyre units wanted for use, after which I feel that is acceptable.
“However this simply ruins every little thing, to be trustworthy. You set a lot effort in for it to be taken away for some silly rule.”
However whereas the unfairness facet is the factor that annoys drivers probably the most, final weekend’s race at Interlagos has put in focus one other issue that’s barely extra worrying.
It’s that, in a moist race like Interlagos the place situations are worsening and there’s the potential for a purple flag, drivers are virtually inspired to remain out on far-from-perfect rubber for much longer than they ideally would.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, on the restart
Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photographs
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who stopped beneath the VSC situations triggered by Nico Hulkenberg’s off, mentioned that the rain that was coming down had left the monitor treacherous – however the lead vehicles clearly felt it well worth the danger of staying out.
“I don’t assume we anticipated it to rain as a lot because it did after which actually, the hardest a part of the race was behind the protection automotive, attempting to remain on the monitor,” mentioned the Australian.
“I feel it form of uncovered a little bit of the problem we’ve with the moist tyre – when everyone seems to be begging for a purple flag however refusing to go onto the moist tyre as a result of it’s so dangerous.
“A reasonably harmful state of affairs to have vehicles actually struggling to remain on the monitor behind the protection automotive. However it’s probably not something new. Hopefully, we are able to attempt to at the least change it now.”
Race-winner Max Verstappen, whose victory was made simpler by the purple flag state of affairs, admitted that issues have been proper on the knife edge as he stayed out – however there was no manner he was going to cease.
“When some pitted, the rain was coming, we stayed out, which was very sketchy,” defined the Dutchman.
“After which I noticed Esteban [Ocon] in entrance of me flying, like 4 seconds a lap quicker and I used to be like, ‘I am simply completely satisfied to maintain the automotive on the monitor’.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
“At one level it was simply, we want a purple flag. It was simply undriveable, even on excessive tyres.”
Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur, who had pitted Leclerc early however had dropped him into visitors, conceded that the problem groups face is playing on staying out and never crashing.
“For positive you’ll be able to say on the finish of the day, if you happen to keep on monitor, ready for the purple flag, it is the fitting name,” he mentioned. “However if you happen to crash, you look silly…”
McLaren group boss Andrea Stella mentioned that, with situations worsening, there was a security facet to the state of affairs – and that whereas there have been aggressive features available by staying out and hoping for a purple flag, in his thoughts there was just one plan of action he most popular.
Talking concerning the Brazil podium finishers who all stayed out, Stella mentioned: “I’m right here congratulating them on their choices.
“However personally, I’m not very comfy to go away a automotive on the market that has tyres which might be fairly worn with that quantity of water. With out the purple flag we’d be commenting on a distinct race.”
Andrea Stella, Workforce Principal, McLaren F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
The best way to cease drivers taking the gamble and pushing on with unsuitable tyres would theoretically be solved by not permitting the free tyre change that’s allowed within the laws.
If drivers knew {that a} purple flag wouldn’t permit them a free swap, then choices on which tyre to decide to can be primarily based purely on which is best suited to the situations – and never a lot about playing in sticking it out when situations are too dire within the hope of being saved by a stoppage.
However the purple flag guidelines are in place for security causes and never aggressive ones. It has lengthy been accepted that altering tyres must be allowed beneath purple flag situations due to the chance of particles from accidents inflicting punctures or different points.
Forcing drivers to stay to their present tyres when there’s a likelihood they might have run over damaged carbon fibre of different elements on the monitor, or been concerned in an accident themselves, can be an unimaginable security danger and lunacy to have within the guidelines.
There have, nevertheless, been quite a few ideas previously of the way to doubtlessly enhance issues and make it fairer.
One thought, that might greatest work for dry races to keep away from the potential for a free cease, can be to permit groups to alter tyres within the stops – but when they needed to it must be for a similar compound.
This situation would stop what occurred in Monaco, and in addition be certain that drivers which had stopped to modify compounds beneath full race situations weren’t unfairly punished.
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Workforce VCARB 01, makes a pit cease
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Nonetheless, it could not have prevented penalising drivers in Brazil as a result of the inter is in the end the perfect tyre for the rain – as a result of by the point the total moist is introduced in to motion, usually visibility is so dangerous that racing doesn’t happen.
One other thought may very well be to permit the groups the choice to alter tyres if they’re broken, but when they achieve this they’ve to drag themselves out of the race order and drop to the again.
That manner, there wouldn’t be an incentive to remain out longer than obligatory in difficult situations – as a result of in the end if there’s a purple flag the drawback may very well be better if it’s essential change rubber. And if you happen to really feel you’re nonetheless on the fitting tyres, you’ll be able to maintain them on and take your cease later.
Or what about Norris’s suggestion after Saudi 2021, of tweaking the sporting guidelines to demand that every driver makes a compulsory cease beneath regular race situations, no matter a purple flag.
All these concepts are issues which have been mentioned, and drivers have their very own opinions about what might be completed to make it higher – however sadly, F1 has by no means moved issues ahead a lot.
Requested after Monaco whether or not he had some hope of the purple flag tyre rule being revisited by groups and the FIA, he mentioned: “I do not know. There are lots of issues that they haven’t modified, most likely as a result of they do not take heed to the drivers.”
5 months his phrases nonetheless seem to ring true.