David Coulthard believes it’s time to put an end to grid penalties related to engine component changes, which he considers outdated.
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Grid penalties for exceeding the engine component quota no longer have a place in Formula 1, according to David Coulthard.
The former Scottish driver believes that this rule, still applied this season, belongs to another era and deserves to be thoroughly reviewed.
A rule that has become obsolete
Each season, drivers have a limited number of components for their power unit. Beyond this quota, they automatically incur grid penalties.
Teams often choose to take these penalties on circuits where overtakes are easier, in order to limit their impact.
For Coulthard, this system no longer has a purpose: “I think all these penalties should really be reviewed.”
According to him, this regulation responded to a context that no longer exists today.
“It dates back to a time when the aim was to push teams to improve their reliability.”
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However, this motivation is now natural: “Today, all teams have an interest in being reliable.”
Spa offered another example
The Belgian Grand Prix once again illustrated the consequences of this rule. Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar were both penalized for exceeding their engine component quota. The McLaren driver started from 13th place, while Hadjar started 21st.
Despite their handicap, both drivers managed to climb into the points. Coulthard was particularly complimentary towards Hadjar. The Frenchman ultimately finished in an excellent sixth place.
“This situation offered an opportunity to Hadjar, who switched to hard tires very early before delivering a remarkable race.”
The former driver also praised Norris’s performance.
“Lando Norris could undoubtedly have stopped under the Virtual Safety Car, but despite that, he managed to finish seventh.”
For Coulthard, these comebacks primarily demonstrate that grid penalties no longer truly fulfill their objective and that it may be time for Formula 1 to modernize a regulation inherited from another era.
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