With the race just about to start for the Pirelli Gran Premio D’Italia, it was not the fastest car that took fist on the grid, with the dreaded Power Unit penalties insisting they had some input on the qualifying result. Is it time to change the system?
According to SKY SPORTS F1, Max Verstappen (5 places) Esteban Ocon (5 Places) Sergio Perez (10 Places) Mick Schumacher (10 Places) Valtteri Bottas (15 places) with Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton and Yuki Tsunoda all heading to the back of the grid. With potentially more drivers taking penalties before the start of the race.
HOW DO THE PENALTIES WORK
As part of Formula 1’s attempt to keep costs reduced, they limit the amount of Power Unit components for each car. If a team has to take a component outside of this pool then they are handed a penalty, in the form of a grid drop. Most teams know that with a Formula 1 season comprising of somewhere in the region of 20 plus races, that they will have to take a hit at some point during the season, however for the second race in a row, nearly half the grid has been effected by these penalties.
An Formula 1 Power Unit is split into 7 different areas: Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Motor Generator Units – Heat (MGU-H), Motor Generator Units Kinetic (MGU-K), Turbocharger (TC), Energy Store (ES), Control Electronics (CE) and Exhaust. Each component has a limited supply ranging from 8 for the exhaust to 3 for the ICE, MGU-H, MGU-K and TC, with ES and CE both on 2 each.
Teams are allowed to mix and a match components from within the pool after all an ICE might wear quicker than a CE, however there will be situations that will force a team to introduce components outside of the pool. It could be as a result of an on track incident, mechanical failure or general wear. When a team decides to use extra components, they will take a grid penalty, these are given in the following order:
- First time an additional element is used, the driver gets a 10-place penalty.
- the next time an additional element is used, the driver gets a 5-place penalty
- If a driver exceeds 15 place drop, they will be required to start at the back of the grid.
MULTIPLE PENALTIES
As we have seen in the last two races, there have been multiple penalties, with several drivers taking grid drops it adds a different feeling for qualifying, as the pole sitter, although classed as taking pole is not the person that will be taking first on the grid for the start of the race.
In some respects it can take the sporting element of the Quali session away as the final positions are decided in the stewards room rather than the track. Multiple penalties are applied in a certain order. Start at the back penalty will take precedent over any other penalties, for example, even if a driver has a 100-place grid drop, they will start in front of a driver that has been ordered to start at the back.
As part of the Sporting regulations, if possible drivers are required to take their penalty in its entirety, this would explain why Max Verstappen has taken his full penalty at the Italian GP.
IS THE SYSTEM FAIR?
The main issue with this system, is it fair? One of the biggest issues over the Italian GP weekend was the length of time it took for FIA to confirm the grid order for the race. Qualifying had finished by 4pm UK time, the provisional grid was not released until at least 7pm, a 3 hour wait is just not good enough. Formula 1 and the FIA really need to smooth out the process and remove some of the bureaucracy that seems to be built into the fabric of the FIA. the other side of the coin is the sporting effect multiple penalties can have. With six races still to go in the season and teams already taking penalties, is the component limit too low?
Redbull has arguably the most reliable car on the Formula 1 grid this season but they are not immune to taking penalties.
Most if not all teams will look at the Calander and factor in when they expect to take penalties, this was confirmed by Redbull’s Team principle Christian Horner. He explained that the decision for Max Verstappen to take the penalty at the Belgium GP was made as it was an easier track to pass, this was proven correct as Verstappen took the win after starting at the back of the grid.
With Formula 1 and the FIA looking to make Formula 1 cost effective, Grid penalties and component restrictions are here to stay, but is the system too restrictive? With the cost of producing extra components not as high as Research and Development, it would not be quite as big a hit on the cost cap to add an extra component or two. This could lead to the racing being decided on the track rather than in the FIA offices hours after the chequered flag has dropped on qualifying.