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F1 Hungarian GP: Grosjean backs radio rule tweaks to keep ‘spicy’ racing

Romain Grosjean says he supports the revised radio rules introduced ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix and sees it as an ideal compromise to ensure racing action remains fair while also keeping control on driver aids.

In the build-up to the Hungarian race the FIA has clarified the regulations regarding what can and cannot be communicated between drivers and teams during a race after being asked by F1 teams to produce a clearer definition.

Within the revised rules, teams are allowed to communicate to drivers to instruct them to pit and once in the pit lane can aim to rectify any problems, effectively calling for an extra pit stop or drive through rather than teams risking a time penalty - as was the case for Nico Rosberg at the British Grand Prix.

Grosjean says the renewed radio rules are much clearer and protect against on-track racing being dampened by potential time penalties.

"It's pretty good, I think it makes sense," Grosjean said. "We're racing drivers and you don't want to get a 2000-page manual in the car when you're driving. So if there's a problem you cannot solve or there's a technical problem you just come in the pit lane and then you can talk and do your stuff, do a pit stop and go again.

"It doesn't take away the spicy things they wanted in racing, you cannot told if there's a problem but you have to come into the pit lane and therefore the race will be mixed up."

The Haas driver feels it is a fair compromise of rules because each potential scenario is likely to be different and dependent upon the severity of the technical problem.

"Sometimes you know, sometimes you just don't have a clue. If there's a sensor failing and you need to, how can you know?" Grosjean explained. "There are maybe 500 or 600 positions you can change so you won't know them by heart. I'd be better off knowing Chinese before I know them."

"I think it's the best compromise because if you have a problem or you don't really know what to do and you have to pit then you're going to lose 20 seconds but at least you can sort out the problem. Rather than if you stay on track you might lose more or less.

"It's going to be a balance of 'Can we finish the race? Shall we go in the pit lane? What should we do?' So it's pretty exciting, we just need to have as much information as we can in the pit lane."

Zdroj: crash.net