The sport that just keeps on giving...

[Jericoke]

The problem with just awarding a stop and go in the race is that the driver has probably dropped well down the order anyway so it almost becomes meaningless. The car could also be pulled out of the race by the team before any penalty could apply, so a belt and braces penalty both in the race and at the subsequent race was adopted.

This may seem overly harsh but with the lightening pit stops that have become the norm the potential for error is greater. Big fines don't matter to the top teams, a few tenths costs them millions in development anyway. It seems he only way to get the teams to slow fractionally - just enough to reduce error margins - is to hand out severe penalties.

IMO the separation of driver and team responsibility is a real no go, the stewards have to look at enough 'on track' action without having to also pick apart just what happened during the pit stop whilst the race is running. Sure the reason for the unsafe release can be looked at after the racing, which I'm sure it is, and recommendations can be made to the team to help prevent future incidents. However on present form over FIA recommendations some teams may treat them more seriously then others. 

 

I agree on all points.

I didn't realize it was a written rule.  As long as everyone is aware, and it's enforced, then it's fair.

[Irisado]

I don't like the current penalties, but I agree that separating driver and team doesn't work.  I do feel that penalties are handed out a bit to freely these days though.  Why can't the licence system cover this?  Teams and drivers could have a shared number of penalty points on their collective licence, which result in a penalty after x number of points have been accumulated.

Would this not be better?

[Scott]

Because a team can never be banned from a race.  Too much sponsorship worries at stake.  If a driver is banned from a race, the reserve driver will race the car.

[Irisado]

It wouldn't result in bans.  The idea would be that x number of penalty points results in a grid penalty, stop-go, or drive through, depending on the number of points accumulated.  That way, consistent offenders are penalised.