OCTOBER 23, 2016

Bosses worry about latest F1 racing rule

Two F1 team bosses are worried about further over-regulating how drivers do battle.

Two F1 team bosses are worried about further over-regulating how drivers do battle.

In the drivers' briefing in Austin, multiple experienced drivers hit out at Max Verstappen's aggression and asked for a rule prohibiting changes of direction under braking.

The FIA's Charlie Whiting duly responded, saying such driving could from now on be referred to the stewards.

"I think it's great that Charlie has understood the majority of the drivers' opinions," said world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Not surprisingly, Verstappen's team boss Christian Horner questioned the decision.

"It is important that there is clarity," the Red Bull chief is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

"But we should take care not to over regulate the sporting side. There are now four different rules for overtaking, which is clearly too much," Horner added.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Horner's Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff agrees.

"We can invent another 200 rules but the danger is that the racing just becomes more complicated.

"If the stewards will intervene only when a driver has to take evasive action, then what we will see in the future is many evasive manoeuvres," he warned.

(GMM)