Martin Brundle offers the FIA three simple ideas after fans miss out on the exciting British GP finish.
Martin Brundle has shared three ideas with the FIA to help avoid the confusing finish we saw at Sunday’s British Grand Prix, including one inspired by IndyCar.
The drama started when Max Verstappen spun into the gravel with just five laps left, which brought out the safety car at Silverstone. Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris all pitted for new tires, expecting a restart. But George Russell didn’t pit and gained a big advantage when the safety car stayed out for the final lap instead of having a one-lap shootout.
Russell jumped ahead of Hamilton, slipping between the two Ferraris as Leclerc crossed the finish line to win, leaving many fans scratching their heads. Part of the confusion came from a message on the screen saying the safety car would come in at the end of lap 51, but the FIA later said this was a mistake caused by software.
According to the rules, a full lap must be completed after the unlapping procedure, where lapped cars pass the leaders to get back on the lead lap. This happened at the start of lap 51.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff compared this to the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP ending, where a similar mix-up caused a one-lap showdown for the championship between Hamilton and Verstappen. That time, Verstappen took full advantage on fresher tires to win.
Though the rules were followed correctly this time, fans missed out on the chance to see an exciting final lap battle. The outcome worked well for Leclerc and Russell, but Hamilton lost a chance for a better podium spot.
In his latest Sky Sports column, Brundle suggests three ways the FIA could improve the system. One idea, from IndyCar, is that when there are less than 10 laps left, lapped cars must drive through the pit lane and rejoin at the back for the restart. This hurts lapped cars more than F1’s current method, where they can catch up and try to race back into contention. But it makes sense since those cars fell behind in the first place.
Brundle also mentioned other options like having lapped cars simply drop behind the main pack or throwing a red flag for a standing restart—which takes longer but might be fairer. He emphasized that the current system often favors slower cars over the leaders and disappoints fans.
He explained that the rule was created to stop lapped cars from affecting the front of the race, sometimes giving them a chance to get back in the fight. But the rule tends to make safety car periods longer, especially on big tracks like Silverstone and Spa.
Brundle even recalled debating this with the late Charlie Whiting, since it doesn’t seem to make much sense, especially because the rules say the safety car should go to the pits right after lapped cars are allowed through.
Overall, Brundle hopes the FIA will look at these ideas and find a better way to make race finishes fairer and more exciting for everyone.