Unravelling the qualifying conundrum: Christian Horner calls for simplicity in F1 rules

At the recent Sao Paulo Grand Prix, a new pit lane exit rule aimed at curbing slow pit lane speeds faced harsh criticism from Max Verstappen, who labelled it "absolutely terrible." Drivers like George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and Pierre Gasly found themselves unintentionally on the wrong side of this rule.

While the focus has been on preventing drivers from creating unnecessary gaps in traffic during flying laps, Horner believes there's a fundamental aspect being overlooked. "We're just making it too complicated," he remarked to media. "Why are the drivers needing to do these out laps or whatever? Is it tire pressure? Is it tire temperature? It's something that didn't exist in F1 for 50 years, so why is it an issue now?"

Horner advocates a return to basics, addressing the root cause rather than applying temporary fixes. The intricacies of Pirelli tires, introduced in 2011, add a layer of complexity to driver strategy. Teams, always on the lookout for an advantage, exploit the rulebook, making the preparation for laps a critical element in qualifying.

"You got a lot of very clever engineers that are always looking to find an absolute advantage," Horner explained. "Tyres are a little bit of a black art, there's a certain mystique to being able to get the tire into the right window, and the tire is so much to the performance of the car."

As Formula 1 gears up for the new Las Vegas Grand Prix on the weekend of 16-18 November, Horner's call for simplicity echoes through the paddock. The 14-turn street circuit, spanning over six kilometres, promises top speeds of around 342 kilometres per hour, rivalling the legendary Monza for average speeds. 

Will F1 heed the call for a less complex rulebook as the cars roar through the iconic Las Vegas Strip? Only time will tell.

 

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