Brundle: F1 guidelines to racing a ‘blueprint to dissuade overtaking’

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle has heavily criticized Formula 1's driver combat rules, claiming they are a "blueprint to dissuade" overtaking in need of a “serious tweak”.

The always astute former F1 driver’s comments come in the wake of the controversial penalty Lando Norris received in last weekend’s US Grand Prix after his spirited duel with Max Verstappen.

The incident unfolded on Lap 52 of the race when Norris, in a determined attack, attempted to overtake Verstappen on the outside of COTA’s Turn 12. But the Red Bull driver, defending his position, ran wide, forcing Norris off track.

The Briton completed his pass but was later handed a five-second penalty for "leaving the track and gaining an advantage." The penalty cost Norris a podium finish and allowed Verstappen to extend his points lead in the championship battle.

Brundle was critical of the decision and the broader implications of F1’s overtaking rules.

“There are track limit infringement sporting regulations to define the field of play, and there are 'F1 Driving Standards Guidelines,’” he explained in his Sky Sports F1 column.

However, Brundle believes that these guidelines, rather than promoting exciting wheel-to-wheel racing, actually inhibit overtaking maneuvers.

“As far as I'm concerned, the six-page Guidelines (therefore not regulations), which have been signed off by the FIA, the drivers' association (GPDA), and the teams, are a blueprint to dissuade overtaking, especially around the outside,” he added.

“There are key reference points that are hard to define for both drivers and stewards, such as where exactly is the apex of any given corner across the entire width of the track, along with specific front axle and car mirror positions in a fast-moving event such as a racing overtake,” he said.

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Brundle also pointed out the flaws in the system, noting that drivers can exploit these rules to their advantage, potentially “gaming the system”.

“A driver can game the system by, for example, accelerating and running wide, thereby ensuring the overtaking driver on the inside is penalized for not allowing them a 'fair and acceptable width' from the apex to the exit of the corner,” he argued.

He also didn’t hesitate to highlight the inconsistency in stewarding decisions. While Norris was penalized for his off-track pass, Brundle questioned why Verstappen wasn’t punished for forcing Norris wide in the first place.

“If Russell was penalized for running Valtteri Bottas wide, shouldn’t Verstappen have been penalized for running Norris wide at the same corner?” Brundle asked, referring to a separate incident involving George Russell.

The Sky F1 commentator lamented the loss of the more relaxed “let them race” approach, which he felt had worked well in the past.

“I don't know what happened to the 'let them race' approach from a while back which worked reasonably well,” he wrote.

According to Brundle, if a driver overtakes cleanly on the inside of a corner and remains in control while staying within track limits, they should be allowed to take the racing line on exit. It should then be up to the driver who has been overtaken to yield.

Brundle went on to criticize the complexity of the current regulations, which he believes are overly complicated and not well-suited to managing the wide range of situations that arise in modern F1 racing.

“The circuit layouts and run-offs create the problems, and the ever more complex driving rules fail to manage all of the inevitable and varied issues,” he said.

In conclusion, Brundle called for a significant overhaul of the F1 driving standards guidelines, advocating for a simpler, more intuitive system that would allow for closer, more exciting racing without the need for constant penalization.

“The driving guidelines need a serious tweak, and much simplification,” Brundle urged, warning that the current framework risks discouraging the very overtaking moves that make the sport thrilling to watch.

As F1 grapples with ongoing questions about racecraft, penalties, and stewarding, Brundle’s comments offer a clear-eyed critique of how the sport’s regulations may be doing more harm than good when it comes to fostering genuine on-track competition.

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