2019 French Grand Prix - Le Castellet, June 21-23

[Cuky]

I'd bet that Ricciardo vs. Norris and Perez in Lap 1 wouldn't be penalties if Vettel didn't get his one at Canada. Now when they did punish Vettel they have to be consistent and that is why those two situations were penalized.

[TAG]

Consistency in stewarding, it's the only thing I've ever asked for. They have been doing a much better job of it over the last couple of seasons.

[ringo]

Karun Chandok can still undo those penalties!

[TAG]

Karun Chandok can still undo those penalties!

Is there an 11th place sign Ricciardo can go move?

[siskue2005]

Karun Chandok can still undo those penalties!

[dans79]

Consistency in stewarding, it's the only thing I've ever asked for. They have been doing a much better job of it over the last couple of seasons.

Honestly, I think it's because Charlie is gone.

[bauc]

Overall a boring race, the last lap was the highlight

[izzy]

Consistency in stewarding, it's the only thing I've ever asked for. They have been doing a much better job of it over the last couple of seasons.

yes it's not the stewards' fault is it. You can't have rules without penalties. If there aren't penalties, there's simply no point having the rule.

Of course it's best if the track itself costs them time when they go off it, I don't know why F1 can't make it so. I mean the way through cutting a chicane STILL being faster after they've carefully signposted it? could they really not be bothered to work it out?

[Dr. Acula]

I'd bet that Ricciardo vs. Norris and Perez in Lap 1 wouldn't be penalties if Vettel didn't get his one at Canada. Now when they did punish Vettel they have to be consistent and that is why those two situations were penalized.

I think that's a real possibility.
Because of the Canada inccident they had to give a penalty now otherwise it would have started to look really silly. But basically the stewards are in a hard place now.
If they don't give a penalty in such situations, everyone would shout "inconsistent" or "double standards". On the other hand if they give the penalty everone start t hate them because they influence the outcome of the race.
So what ever they do know, some will look at it as a wrong decision.

[NathanOlder]

Its quite simple really, if rules are broken, give out penalties. Maybe if they keep this up, the drivers will stop breaking the rules in such blatant ways.

I mean today Ricciardo went off the track to pass Kimi. It was obvious from the moment kimi shut the door that Danny couldn't pass on the inside but he did it anyway. Althought with all the tarmax run off, it meant Danny only needed to keep 2 wheels on the track to make it count. If there was grass after the white line, no way Danny goes for it.

The next major problem for F1 is all this bloody run off tarmac. If its too much concern for the safety aspect then just put 2m of grass next to the track and then tarmac run off. So if you put 2 wheels on the grass on the outside of a corner, you will go very wide and have to cross back over the grass and lose more time. Its simple and effective

[Cuky]

In my opinion rules regarding penalties are to vague. Much of it is left to stewards to decide and then you have situations when once something is penalized, jet similar accident few weeks later isn't. That is why I like the penalty system in MotoGP:
- if you go out of track in qualifying - laps is invalidated. Not like in F1 where in some corners it is ok, but in others it isn't
- if you go out of track in a race few times - warning. Next time you are out of track you get a "long lap" penalty (previously "drop a position")
- if you force competitor of the track or crash them - ride through
- false start - ride through
- cut a corner - the time you gained is added to your race time

I know it is harsh when it is set like that because I understand that no two situations are the same. But riders, teams and fans know what to expect.

[subcritical71]

I'd bet that Ricciardo vs. Norris and Perez in Lap 1 wouldn't be penalties if Vettel didn't get his one at Canada. Now when they did punish Vettel they have to be consistent and that is why those two situations were penalized.

This isn’t meant as a dig on you, but I don’t think there has been a word less uttered in a FIA stewards room than “consistency”...

As a point, Vettel set his fastest lap while putting all 4 over the white line at least once....

[roon]

Clean race today by the Mercedes drivers, devoid of divebombing sliding cars. What to do about these dangerous Australians, though. Driving on painted tarmac like it's unpainted tarmac, the mad men. To think there are millions of them somewhere, all driving on paint.

[Cuky]

As a point, Vettel set his fastest lap while putting all 4 over the white line at least once....

That was the case in qualifying for most if not all of the drivers, especially on the outside of T6, but as always FIA deemed that in that case there is no time gained so they allowed it. As if drivers would go there lap after lap after lap if that wasn't the faster way to go through that corner

[Xero]

Why go into tyre preservation in round 2 and still pitted the same as the others?
That is just

It wasn't an issue of tyre wear, it was all about thermal degradation which led to graining, particularly for Carlos. That's why Lando was itching to get by through the middle part of the race, he seemed to be kinder on his tyres. McLaren had no reason to go flat out and risk ruining their tyres, then be sitting ducks later in the race. They were never going to be able to race any of the cars ahead today. The strategy was spot on.