There is growing unrest among Formula 1 drivers regarding the current racing rules, with several calling for adjustments following a weekend of contentious decisions during the Austin Grand Prix.

While the primary focus has been on Lando Norris’s penalty for overtaking Max Verstappen off the track—which continues to be a point of debate in Mexico, with McLaren filing for a review—other incidents from both the sprint race and main event left drivers frustrated, and raised questions about the current regulations.

Despite varying opinions on how to move forward, a consensus emerged during Thursday's media day in Mexico: change is needed.

Overregulation concerns

New overtaking guidelines introduced for the 2024 season have played a key role in recent incident rulings. Although these guidelines remain private, they have been a source of frustration among drivers.

Max Verstappen, world champion, joked upon arriving in Mexico, “It’s getting to the point where I might need to keep the rulebook in the car.” His remark highlighted how much the regulations have expanded. While Verstappen believes Formula 1 is becoming "overregulated," he also recognizes the difficulty in finding a middle ground: “If you remove rules and then something happens, everyone will call for more regulation.”

Yuki Tsunoda took a stronger stance, arguing that the current enforcement of rules strips away the passion of the sport. “It’s like they want us to drive like robots. Racing is about emotion, it’s what makes the sport exciting. If they keep removing that, it’s going to feel like watching AI competing instead.”

Similarly, Kevin Magnussen of Haas voiced concerns about how restrictive the guidelines have become, saying they’ve taken away from the racing spectacle. He suggested Formula 1 look to other series like IndyCar, where drivers are encouraged to race hard without the constant threat of penalties.

The norris penalty and track design

Carlos Sainz expressed his frustration but pointed out that, in the heat of a race, drivers don’t often think about the specific guidelines before making a move. “To be honest, when you're about to overtake, you're not thinking about the rules. You're just focused on being aggressive but fair, and you hope the stewards see it the same way.”

Sainz believes many of these issues could be addressed through track design rather than continuously tweaking the rulebook. He praised the addition of gravel at the Red Bull Ring, which discourages drivers from running wide. “If there was gravel at Turn 12 in Austin, Lando wouldn’t have risked braking so late or running wide, knowing the consequences.”

Albon backed this viewpoint, noting that track-limit controversies rarely arise at street circuits like Monaco or Singapore. “It’s the extra runoff areas that create these situations. When there’s more room to push the limits, drivers are more likely to do so.”

Calls for consistency and permanent stewards

George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, suggested that Formula 1 could improve consistency by employing permanent stewards for every race. He acknowledged that the stewards work hard, but argued that having different officials each weekend leads to inconsistencies in decision-making.

“The only way to ensure real consistency is to have the same stewards at every race,” Russell explained. “In other sports, referees are professionals, and that’s their full-time job. We need to head in that direction if we want to see improvements in our sport.”

His teammate Lewis Hamilton agreed, stating, “We need to level up across the board. When you look at other global sports, they have full-time referees. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for us to adopt something similar.”

Overtaking rules under scrutiny

One aspect of the 2024 overtaking rules has particularly upset drivers: the requirement that the attacking driver’s front axle must be level with the defending car’s from the apex through the exit of the corner for the move to be considered valid. Carlos Sainz criticized this rule, suggesting it allows defending drivers to brake later and unfairly block overtaking attempts.

Pierre Gasly, who was penalized in Austin for overtaking Alex Albon off-track, was also vocal in his disapproval. “This rule, where the attacking driver gets priority at the apex, needs to be reconsidered. Right now, drivers can just dive into the corner, not fully commit to the overtake, but still get priority.”

Gasly argued that this approach encourages risky moves that aren’t properly executed. “If you just aim to be ahead at the apex without actually completing the overtake, you’re creating more problems.”

Not all drivers are critical

While many drivers have voiced concerns, some remain content with the current rules. Aside from his penalty in Austin, Lando Norris has no major issue with the guidelines, stating that the stewards are simply doing their best within the existing framework.

Valtteri Bottas also chimed in, noting, “The rules are clear enough. Some drivers just push them to the limit, but overall, the regulations aren’t the problem.”

As the season progresses, it’s evident that the debate surrounding Formula 1's racing rules isn’t going away anytime soon. Drivers continue to call for various changes, ranging from adjustments to the circuits themselves to more consistent officiating, highlighting the ongoing challenge of ensuring fair and exciting racing.

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