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In the wake of recent controversial incidents involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, George Russell has issued a warning that nearly every driver on the Formula 1 grid is in favor of tightening regulations surrounding overtaking maneuvers.
The tensions escalated during the United States Grand Prix two weeks ago when Norris received a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen off the track. The situation intensified again at the Mexican Grand Prix, where Verstappen faced a 20-second penalty for his defensive tactics against Norris.
Russell, who serves as a director for the Grand Prix Drivers Association, highlighted the urgent need for clearer guidelines. “I think the stewards are totally on board with what needs to change,” Russell said. “Our view is, I think the biggest discussion is they wanted to wait until 2025, so it’s something consistent through this year.
“I would say 19 out of 20 drivers said, ‘well, if it’s incorrect, make the change today’. And I’m glad to see those incidents were punished and I suspect moving forward in Brazil what we saw today and what we saw last week you won’t be able to get away with.
“You presume [it should be easy to change if everyone agrees], but it sometimes seems more difficult than it has to be when things have to get approved and we’ve got to go to a vote app. But as I said, 19 out of 20, we’re all aligned on where it needs to be.
“At the moment you’re seeing a number of manoeuvres that are just…it’s getting beyond entertaining or beyond sporting, it’s just almost unfair to a point now. You can argue the first one was maybe 60-40. The last one, I’ve not seen anything like that since probably Brazil [2021].”
As the F1 season progresses, the call for clearer rules continues to resonate among the drivers, signaling a pivotal moment for the sport’s governance and competitive fairness.
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