Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur believes the sudden rule changes implemented for race start procedures in F1 are “unfair” to the Scuderia.
Ahead of the new season, rules were introduced to modify the start sequence for grands prix, whereby drivers now have a five-second period initiated by a blue light to spool up their turbo to reduce lag and the possibility of a driver fluffing their start.
For Miami, a further step was added whereby if a driver makes a slow launch, the MGU-K will kick in to provide a power boost, with the electrical energy only previously kicking in above 50kph.
During pre-season, Ferrari made lightning-quick launches from the grid, aided by its decision to opt for a smaller turbo, which played out in the first two races, where Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, respectively, led the opening lap, with Leclerc also doing so in Miami.
Last year, Vasseur went to the FIA and the Sporting Advisory Committee and Power Unit Advisory Committee to highlight the starting procedure issues caused by the new regulations, but was told to simply build his car to the letter of the regulations – before the mass weight of concern prompted the rules to be changed by the FIA.
This is something he feels was unfair to Ferrari.
“Imagine without the blue light, some cars would still be on the grid in China,” Vasseur told The Race.
“You can put on the table the safety grounds, and it’s the right of the FIA, and I have just to accept. But at the end, I think it’s also a bit unfair on us.
“I went to the FIA one year ago, and we spoke about this. We spoke about this in SAC, and we spoke about this in the PUAC.
“I really appreciated the answer from the FIA [that] you have to design the car for the regulations, not the regulations for your car. I think this is a very good approach.
“So then to have half of the grid, 40% of the grid complaining, that it’s mega dangerous and so on. Politically, it was well played but not very fair.
“It was a safety ground. I don’t have to accept. It was a decision based on safety grounds. It’s up to them. Even if everybody is against it, they can decide.
“It was a bit harsh for us, I understand what they did for safety grounds, but the other option would have been to ask [the other cars] to start from the pit-lane if they think it was not safe.
“For us, it’s also a choice that we made. We developed an engine to a criteria, and somehow they changed the rule at the last minute.”
