Christian Horner calls for new F1 rules change after Silverstone chaos

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Christian Horner has called for the FIA to look at changing its procedures over red flag restarts after confusion at the British Grand Prix. Horner claimed Red Bull had “questioned” why Max Verstappen was unable to start on pole for the restart after taking the lead off Carlos Sainz at the start of the race.

The session was stopped moments later after Zhou Guanyu’s massive shunt at turn one. But, not all cars had crossed the second safety car line before the red flag was thrown meaning the only accurate reference for a restart was the original grid.

It meant Sainz started on pole again for the restart but this time managed to hold onto the lead. Verstappen eventually got through before his chances of winning the race were scuppered after striking debris and damaging his floor.

However, Horner said the FIA needed to “look at its rules” for restarts, suggesting he would back changes. He explained: “We questioned it. Max’s loss was Checo’s gain. Not all cars had crossed safety car line [two] from what I understand.

“The only reference they had was the start line, which is why they went back to that order. It is something that we perhaps need to look at.”

F1 changed the red flag procedure in 2018 to see a return to standing starts after stoppages. For most of the past two decades, races were restarted behind the safety car after a red flag was thrown.

Sky Sports host Martin Brundle warned the decision to rest the original grid last weekend was one of a series of unlucky issues that went against Verstappen last weekend.

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Writing in his weekly column, he added: “The championship leader Max Verstappen didn’t have much luck this year again. He should have been on pole position but a yellow flag scuppered his final run, and he easily led away the first start until the red flag.

“Because the cars still running had not passed the second safety car line which is between turns one and two, a key reference point in several regulations along with the first safety car line at pit entry, the restart order would be the original grid placings closed up to recognise that Zhou, Russell and Albon would take no further part.”

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