Silverstone controversy: did the FIA miss the right call with the red flag?. The debate over the FIA’s handling of the British Grand Prix continues.

One week after the British Grand Prix, the controversy surrounding the Safety Car deployed in the closing stages of the race following Max Verstappen’s Red Bull crash continues to dominate discussions. The Dutch driver was completely blameless in the incident, yet the way the race was managed has once again raised questions about the FIA’s approach to late-race neutralisations.

As we have pointed out on several occasions, this is far from a new debate. Ever since the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, we have argued that in situations like these, deploying the Safety Car is not always the best solution. When an incident happens with only a handful of laps remaining, the situation can quickly become unpredictable. Track recovery operations may take longer than expected, delays are always possible, and the chances of resuming full-speed racing before the chequered flag can disappear in an instant.

Late-race incidents: why a red flag could be the better solution

We are certainly not alone in believing that, under these circumstances, the FIA should consider showing the red flag, temporarily suspending the race and then restarting it for a short sprint to the finish. In recent days, former Alpine, Racing Point and Force India team principal Otmar Szafnauer has also shared a very similar opinion on the subject.

The experienced manager did not criticise the decision to finish the race behind the Safety Car from a regulatory standpoint. The FIA simply followed the existing procedures and did not break any rules. However, according to Szafnauer, the Federation continues to overlook one important factor: listening to people who have spent their lives in Formula 1 and truly understand what both the drivers and, above all, the fans want to see.

The red flag can combine safety with entertainment

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, Otmar Szafnauer explained: “The Federation followed the rules, but they had the option of displaying the red flag,” and chose not to use it.

“I spoke to the race director (Rui Marques, editor’s note), and he asked me: ‘Why should we have done that?’ In his opinion, the accident wasn’t serious enough. I told him it wasn’t about the severity of the accident itself. The red flag should have been shown for the fans.”

Using the red flag for the benefit of the spectators does not conflict with the regulations, according to Szafnauer, and it is difficult to disagree with that view. Had the FIA decided to stop the race, every driver would have been able to fit a fresh set of Soft tyres before the restart. The field would have resumed on equal footing, creating an exciting four- or five-lap sprint to the chequered flag.

Instead, the British Grand Prix ended behind the Safety Car, leaving many with the feeling that Formula 1 missed a valuable opportunity to combine safety with an unforgettable spectacle. It is a debate that is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, especially if a similar situation arises again later this season.