Qatar GP: F1 drivers, FIA, stewards hold ‘productive’ meeting to discuss racing rules after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris controversy | F1 News

Formula 1’s 20 drivers, the FIA ​​and stewards held a “productive” meeting on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix to discuss the sport’s overtaking rules.

The debate comes a month after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ fierce battles at the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix, where they were involved in controversial incidents.

Norris received a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen in Austin, as the Red Bull driver was first at the apex of the turn. However, Norris and the other drivers felt Verstappen pushed his rival off the track.

A week later in Mexico, Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for his actions in a wheel-to-wheel duel with Norris.

Verstappen, who won his fourth consecutive Formula 1 title in Las Vegas, has made it clear that he is following the rules.

“I think we still need, of course, a few more discussions on some things,” said Verstappen.

“But I think it’s more to do with the layout of the track. In some places you have a lot of second stages and that’s what we have to work on in the future. That’s the main problem.

“If you have gravel, it prevents you from doing things that require a little more risk than usual.”

George Russell, who is the director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, was one of several drivers fined in Austin for allegedly pushing another driver off the track while overtaking.

The Mercedes driver has been more consistent in the sport and is hoping for clearer rules in 2025.

“It was a productive meeting, I don’t think that much had to be changed,” he said Sky Sports F1.

“Just the weird sentence to get rid of, like if you’re overtaking on the inside, you have to leave the width of the car from the apex to the exit, so that’s why I got penalized in Austin.

“There wasn’t necessarily anything in the Max maneuvering guidelines if you dived the bomb and went off course. It was virtually out of control.

“Everybody agrees with these things. It’s not like the whole rulebook has to be turned upside down. It’s just that the weirdness has to change.”

Speaking to the written media, Russell said what the drivers ultimately wanted to see were circuit design changes that would naturally discourage drivers trying to run wide.

“If you’re able to stay on the rim (when overtaking on the inside), you have the right to run the driver wide, as it has been for all of us since the hook,” he said.

“We also found that a lot of these problems were on the circuits. We talked about a number of problems in Austin, I think a lot of overtaking wouldn’t even be attempted if there was gravel, like turn four in Austria, the right-hand landing – you’re going to into gravel if you’re one or two percent over the limit.

“Silverstone at Stowe was a great race a few years ago with Lewis, Checo and Charles, but in the end everyone was off the track and that’s because the track allows it.

“So the circuits are the root cause and the drivers are an interim fix that we can agree on until we can get all the circuits in proper shape.”

Hamilton “welcomes” more conversations in the future

Hamilton is more aware of Verstappen’s aggression than any driver on the grid following a controversial 2021 season clash with the Dutchman.

The seven-time world champion says F1 is now “going in the right direction” after Thursday’s discussion, which lasted around an hour.

“The meeting was really productive. It’s the first time we’ve really sat down with them,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.

“We had clear and open discussions with the stewards, who have such a complex job, every lap and every scenario is so different from the next.

“There is nothing that will change for these two races, but for next year we are working on the process and we hope to welcome more conversations with them moving forward.”

He later added to the written media. “In their (stewards’) opinion, this year has been better in terms of consistency, but obviously everyone wants to be perfect.

“Until you have those discussions, they won’t fully understand where we’re sitting and what we’re fighting for is right or wrong in certain scenarios, so it’s good for them to listen and for us to work on clear guidelines, so from also in the car, you know what you have.

“For example, there was talk about the caution, but you know if you have that one caution and you wait until the last race of the year to use your caution, it doesn’t work.”

Sky Sports F1 live Qatar GP schedule

Friday November 29
9.55: F1 Academy Practice One
11:00: F2 practice
13:00. Qatar GP practice one (practice starts at 13:30)
14.55: Second session of the F1 Academy
16.05: F2 qualifying
17:00. Qatar GP Sprint Qualifying (Qualifying starts at 17:30)*

Saturday, November 30
12.10: F1 Academy qualifying round
13:00 Qatar GP Sprint Rally
14:00 Qatar GP SPRINT
15.30: Ted’s sprint notebook
16:00: F2 Sprint race
17.15. Qatar GP qualifying session
18:00 QATAR GP QUALIFYING
20:00: F1 Academy: First race
20.45: Ted’s qualifying notebook

Sunday December 1
10.55: Second F1 Academy race
12.15: F2 feature race
14.30. Grand Prix Sunday. Qatar GP Rally
16:00 Qatar Grand Prix
18:00. Checkered flag. Qatar GP reaction
19:00: Ted’s notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1’s season-ending triple whammy continues this weekend with the Qatar Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream the last two F1 races and more with a NOW Sports Month membership. no contract, cancel anytime