
McLaren youngster Lando Norris says that F1 red flag rules is totally unfair, which is allowed to changing tyre and fixing damaged parts. The first red flag during the Saudi Grand Prix hugely benefited championship leader Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon, McLaren veteran Daniel Ricciardo is included gained.
While few drivers victimised by the red flag rule – it was massively affects Norris position. Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas also received the difficulties, who’s recovered later on the race and to made first and third place respectively.
The Brit was one of the few who made first pit-stop under the safety car following Mick Schumacher’s crash, dropping him from sixth to 14th before most of the free pit-stop were able to undertake the restart on fresh tyres due to the red flag.
It is not the first time Norris, who finished 10th, has suffered from red flag pit-stop and the Brit believes the rule is dictated by a “TV point of view”.
“Probably the worst rule ever invented by someone, being able to change tyres under red flag,” Norris said to Sky F1.
“We said it last year already – not to take anything away from Pierre [Gasly] because people would probably say that’s what I’m trying to do, but with their Monza race last year Pierre got to change tyres for free.
“I don’t feel like it’s deserved in a way, it’s just complete luck and it’s luck that doesn’t need to be given to someone and that’s pretty much what it is, just given to someone.
“[It] just ruined our race today. Feels like you do so much just to get it all taken away, [which] sucks, because the team did a good job. I thought the car was pretty decent but this crap rule ruins everything.
“If Max [Verstappen] had won this race…I don’t know what happened in the Turn 1 incident with them, but if Max had won just because he got the free pit-stop then I feel like Mercedes would complain.
“I just feel like it’s such an unfair thing. They should still have to do that pit-stop – it should be more just unlucky rather than getting lucky.”
“If both of us had boxed then it probably would have been one of the worst days you could imagine. I’m happy from my side. I feel like I did a good job when I could, being patient and so on. A lot of people just crashed in front of me for some reason. We just got so unlucky and that ruined it.”
The McLaren young speedy Norris is sixth in the driver standings for the 2021 season, four points behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.