F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Vettel no fan of 'lottery' standing starts after red flags

Sebastian Vettel criticized the use of multiple standing starts in the Tuscan Grand Prix, insisting they were unfair to those sitting on the wrong side of the track.

Sunday's race at Mugello was interrupted by two red flags, which meant two additional standings starts for the field of survivors.

But Vettel, who finished 10th in Sunday's race, equated the launches to a lottery for those lining up on the dirty side of the track.

"I don’t remember doing so many starts in one day, normally you only have one," Vettel told Sky F1.

"I have to say I am not a big fan of that rule [standing restarts after red flags] because if you are on the correct side of the track then it is a huge advantage compared to being on the dirty side of the track.

"We saw that in Monza already. Halfway through the race there is a lot of marbles offline and I just don’t think it is fair."

Vettel suggested F1 should work on designing cars that allow for easier overtaking, which is exactly what the sport is attempting to do with a new set of regulations that will be introduced in 2021.

"Maybe we should focus on building the cars to overtake and not just throwing them into a lottery," said the German.

Mocking Sunday's multiple race starts, Vettel asked his Ferrari pitwall as he entered parc fermé after the race: "Is there another restart, or is that it?".

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Briatore questions Alpine’s results: ‘Why are we not winning?’

Flavio Briatore is not a man accustomed to standing on the sidelines of victory, nor…

2 hours ago

Richie Ginther: A man on the brink of F1 greatness

Richie Ginther was born on this day in 1930. A glance at the American F1…

4 hours ago

The Max effect: Verstappen Racing scores first Pro-Class GT win

  Victory at last! After enduring a frustrating season plagued by mechanical failures and unavoidable…

4 hours ago

Hakkinen warns McLaren on Verstappen move: ‘Why rock the boat?’

Mika Hakkinen has urged McLaren to resist the temptation of making a blockbuster move for…

5 hours ago

Veteran Aston Martin engineer Tim McCullough to exit team after 2026

Long-serving Aston Martin engineer Tim McCullough is reportedly set to leave the team at the…

6 hours ago

Brundle: F1 title fight ‘far from over’ after McLaren triumph

Martin Brundle believes the Formula 1 world championship is heading into the summer break with…

8 hours ago