FIA race director Michael Masi says the door is open to addressing Formula 1’s recent penalty controversies for next season.
The focus was on the stewards at Paul Ricard after Sebastian Vettel lost the win in Canada to a marginal decision and, after Sunday’s race, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo were both feeling aggrieved after their own punishments.
What has angered some is the apparent lack of tolerance from the officials goes against an initiative started earlier this year to adopt a ‘let them race’ approach to incidents.
“My view is we have got a rule book there, and the rule book is the one we have got for the entire 2019 season,” Masi, who replaced long-time director Charlie Whiting after his sudden death in Australia, was quoted by PlanetF1.
“I don’t think it would be wise in any sport to change anything mid-year, but is it something that you can look at, like with any rule book? Absolutely.
“I think we are always constantly evolving with everything.”
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Any decisions related to the sporting regulations would need unanimous support at this stage to be introduced in 2020 but the problem facing the FIA is broader than that.
“I think if all the teams agree with it, it is no different from any other set of regulations,” Masi commented.
“But there is also the ISC (International Sporting Code) that has provisions in it that are also used from a code of driving conduct side. That has its own process which isn’t just F1 specific, it is for the entire sport.
“But it is something that we will look at collectively and jointly.”