Japanese GP: Wolff: F1 grid penalties look ridiculous
Toto Wolff says the current Formula 1 grid penalty system looks ‘ridiculous’ and wants rule changes but isn’t hopeful of seeing🐼 any changes in the immediate future.
The Mercedes team principal saw hওis own driver Valtteri Bottas pick up a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change but vented his frustration at the engine penalties which he believes must inspire a rule change&𝓀nbsp;to stop F1 becoming a joke.
Toto Wolff says the current Formula 1 grid penalty system looks ‘ridiculous’ and wants rule changes but isn🌜’t h💟opeful of seeing any changes in the immediate future.
The Mercedes team principal saw his own driver Valtteri Bottas pick up a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change but vented his frustration at the engine penalties which he believes must inspire a rule ch𝔍ange to stop F1 becoming a joke.
Fernando Alonso has been given a 35-place grid drop for the Japanese Grand Prix for using over the exceeded number of engine parts, the Spanish driver has notched up 140 grid place penalties for McLaren-Honda in 2017 so far, while Carlos Sainz and Jolyon Palmer are also starting📖 from the back having been handed 20-place grid penalties respecꦕtively.
“I am not a fan of driver penalties, they look ridiculous,” Wolff said. “Here a McLa🍰ren going back 35 places feels odd.
“We have to think if we can come up with a system that penalises the driver 🌠less but still keeps an emphasis on not making the cost escalate – we don’t want to bring a new power unit to every race 💖just because the penalty is not a sporting penalty.”
Despite Wolff’s calls for change, which is supported by many F1 team bosses and drivers, he 📖isn’t optimistic for change having seen the issue stick around for a number of years.
“I’ve been here since 2009 and we’ve been talking abꦬout the same thin🎃gs all the time.”