Get ready for a new rule in Formula 2 and Formula 3 next season, as an experiment before potentially making its way to Formula 1.
If a driver disrupts a session with a red flag, they may be disqualified from the session and their best time could be deleted. If successful, this rule could also be applied in Formula 1, especially during qualifying.
We’ve seen it happen several times in recent years, such as the famous track stop by Michael Schumacher in Monaco in 2006. When a driver prevents a session from resuming, it could sometimes result in the driver causing the red flag ending up on pole position. This has often caused frustration among other teams and drivers.
Now, article 33.5 of the sporting regulations for F1 support series will state that the person responsible for a red flag may be penalized. The interesting word here is “may.” The FIA deliberately chose this wording to give race stewards the ability to determine if the penalty is warranted. This means exceptions can be made in exceptional cases or in the event of an accident.
This experiment in Formula 2 and Formula 3 can be seen as a test for Formula 1. If successful, it’s not out of the question for these rules to also apply in Formula 1 by 2025 or after.
These rules are not new in motorsport. In IndyCar, they are even stricter. There, a driver is not allowed to continue in the session and their two best laps are taken away.