Formula One has confirmed it will change its controversial weighbridge rules for next championship on the back of complaints about penalties that were handed out during the 2019 season. Pierre Gasly – then driving for Red Bull – was forced to start from pitlane in Azerbaijan for accidentally missing the weighbridge checks during Friday practice, while Racing Point’s Sergio Perez was hit with the same penalty for an identical infraction at the US Grand Prix.
The heavy penalties prompted complaints from their teams that the sanction was out of kilter with the offence.
However, the way the regulations were worded meant that any driver who missed the weighbridge on a Friday and whose car was worked on was automatically given a pitlane start.
Following discussions between teams and the FIA, it was agreed that the rules needed modifying. Now, following approval by the World Motor Sport Council, more freedom will be given to the stewards from 2020 to decide on the sanction. The rules now state that if a driver misses the weighbridge and his car is worked on then it will simply “be referred to the stewards,” who will then be able to decide what punishment is given.
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