The FIA clarifies the rule on defensive maneuvers in races

The teams had been demanding for some time now that the FIA take responsibility and resolve the “Verstappen case.” This has been done since yesterday: Charlie Whiting, the FIA race director, issued an official document clarifying the organization’s position through Article 27.5 of the sporting regulations: « Any change of direction in the braking zone, which forces another driver to take evasive action, will be considered abnormal and consequently dangerous for other drivers. Any such maneuver will be reported to the stewards ».

This rule, nicknamed the “Verstappen rule” by some media, is obviously inspired by the behavior of the Dutch driver since his arrival in Formula 1 last year. Whether driving for Toro Rosso or the senior team Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, 17 years old at the time of his debut, has constantly stirred controversy around his contentious maneuvers on the track, most recently at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Mercedes lodged a complaint before retracting it. Many observers point out the danger posed by his methods to maintain a position on the track.

A measure applauded by all the pilots

Whether it’s Button, Hamilton, Rosberg, or Vettel, all have praised the establishment of a code of conduct that, a few years earlier, was “innate” among drivers, supports the current British world champion: « For the 10 years I have been in Formula 1, there was this same rule that the drivers understood; it is only the newcomers who do not systematically adhere to this rule that we have all shared for many years ».

Just like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel recalls his arrival in F1 to highlight the necessity of this measure: « I think it’s very simple, the day I joined Formula 1 it was clear, it was a sort of tacit law. Lately, we have obviously been faced with these [contentious] situations and have avoided the problem; as a result, the signal was lost and everyone started doing the same thing, which is bad because in the end, we are just waiting for an event to occur, so I think it’s a good action »

On the side of the other Mercedes driver, Nico Rosberg, it’s the same story: “It’s something that needed to be addressed. It represents a high-risk situation and it’s very, very difficult for the driver behind to avoid the accident,” emphasizes the championship leader.

It is worth noting that this regulation update applies starting from the United States Grand Prix in Austin.