FIA urged to revise safety car and red‑flag rules after anticlimactic British Grand Prix

Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle called on the FIA to change its safety‑car procedures after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone ended behind the safety car. He highlighted the lap‑back rule that allowed lapped cars to pass the leaders, which he said unnecessarily prolonged the safety‑car period, and suggested three alternatives: directing lapped cars to the pit lane in the final ten laps, having them drop back behind the pack, or using a red‑flag and standing restart.

Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer echoed the criticism, urging the FIA to consider red‑flagging a late‑race incident instead of deploying the safety car. He argued that a red flag would add extra racing laps, allow teams to fit fresh soft tyres, and preserve the spectacle for fans. Both figures pointed to Max Verstappen’s high‑speed spin and the confusion over timing screens on lap 51 as a catalyst for their proposals, aiming to prevent future anticlimactic finishes.