Lewis Hamilton calls for major rule change in Formula 1 as Max Verstappen ‘has gotten away with it for too long’

Lewis Hamilton has proposed an unusual rule change that would clear up the ‘gray area’ that Max Verstappen has ‘long enjoyed’.

Verstappen and Lando Norris had a controversial moment while competing for a podium place at the American Grand Prix.

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Norris tried to complete the pass for Verstappen at Turn 12 but both drivers went off the track.

The McLaren star nudged himself in front of Verstappen when they rejoined the track, but the stewards deemed it an illegal move and Norris received a five-second penalty.

Stewards later declared Norris had failed to meet the legal overtaking requirements, which state that a driver pushing forward from the outside ‘must have the front axle at least at the apex of the bend and next to the front axle of the other car on the exit’. .’

The five-second penalty proved costly and Verstappen finished the race in third place to secure vital points in the drivers’ championship.

McLaren subsequently initiated a review of Norris’ penalty.

Norris is not the first driver to be on the wrong end of Verstappen’s crafty ability to exploit the rules, and he probably won’t be the last.

However, if seven-time world champion Hamilton’s proposal comes true, Verstappen will have to give up his tactic of preventing long-term overtaking.

“It’s always been a gray area,” Hamilton said ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.

“That’s why he stayed away from it for so long.

“They probably need to make some adjustments, sure. Also, there are inconsistencies in decisions on the weekend and off the weekend, depending on which referees are there.”

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“As a sport, we need to level up in all areas. When you look at other global sports, they have full-time referees and I’m sure this will not be a bad thing for our sport.”

“I experienced this many times with Max. You shouldn’t be able to start the car on the inside and be in front and then go out and still not be able to hold the position.”

Hamilton described how Verstappen pulled off similar tricks during the fascinating 2021 season, which saw the Dutchman capture his first world title in the final race of the season.

“It’s interesting that people are talking about it now because the same thing happened to me in 2021,” Hamilton said. he said.

“If you take into account Brazil, for example, when braking you are in front, but the car comes off the brakes and cannot take the corner and you have to go to the outside.”

“Then they will say you both went out but you had no choice because you had to avoid the collision.

“Something definitely needs to be done about this because it happens a lot now. You shouldn’t let off the brakes, you shouldn’t accelerate, you shouldn’t go off the track and still be able to keep your place.”

Despite Hamilton’s call for changes to overtaking rules, Verstappen, perhaps unsurprisingly, does not believe any changes need to be made.

“At the end of the day you can’t overtake outside the white line,” Verstappen said. he said.

“It’s a very clear rule and I’m content with that. I don’t understand why we suddenly need to scream and demand regulation change when it’s been like this forever.”

“I grew up doing go-karts, F3, F1, you know you can’t go outside the white line. It’s that simple.

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“This is how the rules are written. I did not make the rules, first of all, I follow the rules as much as I can.

“Of course sometimes you get stuck, we’ve experienced that in the past. I just follow the rules and play with them.”

Verstappen will try to extend his 57-point lead over Norris in the Mexican GP, ​​which starts at 20:00 on Sunday.