FIA Under Fire After Italian GP Changes – ‘Drivers Are Often The Last To Know’

The scenic circuit of Monza recently witnessed some contentious alterations during the Italian Grand Prix preparations. A number of F1 drivers expressed their concerns over the last-minute resurfacing and kerbing changes at the track, including George Russell, who has complained that drivers are often the last to find out about the changes.

Russell, who is the Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, stated to the media ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, as quoted by Motorsport Week:

“It’s something we’ve spoken about a number of times in the past, drivers are often the last ones to find out when there’s kerb changes.

“Personally, I think it’s a bit of a shame because there was so much character with Ascari, as an example. I don’t think it will be as impressive in that corner with the kerb changes.

“I honestly don’t know who makes these decisions. I don’t think it’s the FIA, I think it’s the circuits themselves. I guess we have to appreciate the circuits designed for a whole season and all sorts of different categories.

“But we’ve always said these old school circuits with incredible character, we need to preserve that at all costs.”

Daniel Ricciardo also raised concerns about the changes, stating:

“I can’t say I’m that impressed because I think some elements have lost some of the character of the circuit.

“Obviously, a lot of you have been following F1 even longer than me and maybe it’s just as a driver, because we drive it and experience it, so maybe it makes sense to us, I don’t know if it makes sense to the outside.

“But kerbs and things like this…they make a circuit unique and when you just kind of put some flat kerbs and stuff, like second chicane, so turn five, you get over the kerb and then there was like a thin concrete strip and then gravel.

“[In the past] you’d always just try and run your wheels on that little bit of concrete and use all the track, but not too much.”

The Australian driver continued:

“It’s [the Ascari chicane] very flat now, so ultimately, because we can use so much more kerb probably, it’s going to be wider and easier to be flat than through nine and ten.

“I don’t want to be all negative – maybe that means we can follow closer because it’s easier flat and you get a bigger slipstream, but I don’t know. I think they still underrate the kerbs and what it does to a circuit, how it changes the feeling, the character, the approach.

“We’ll see. Obviously, I am going to enjoy driving here but it feels like it’s lost a little bit of that ‘old schoolness’ that it had.

“We go to a lot of modern circuits now, which are fun, they’re great, but if we’re going to keep the old school ones, then let’s keep them old school – that’s a little bit of my concern.

“We don’t need an overriding say, but at least just let us give some feedback. Maybe we save them money. They don’t have to change the kerbs.”

On the other hand, drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc adopted a wait-and-see approach. Hamilton, accustomed to the historically bumpy nature of Monza, was open to the possibility that these changes might enhance the racing experience:

“I don’t want to judge it before I’ve driven it,” Hamilton said.

“Maybe we’ll get in and it’ll be the greatest thing and greatest changes ever. So I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot with that.

“Ultimately, we loved it before. For years, it’s been super bumpy in so many places and That’s been a huge part of the character of what this track is.

“The kerbs as well. They have been pretty much the same for definitely over 20 years, I would imagine. So it is a big, big change.

“But ultimately, it’s still the same track. But yeah, we won’t know until tomorrow. It’s going to be a lot smoother, it looks, and probably quite a bit quicker.”

Leclerc noted:

“So it’s not like there’s the choice of just keeping the same tarmac for years and years and years.

“Because at one point, you just get too bumpy. And especially with our Formula 1 cars and the way they are run so low, the tracks have to renew that. So on that, I’m fine.

“On the kerbs, it’s true that some tracks have the historic kerbs. And even if they renew it, I think in Canada it was done this year where they keep exactly the same shape, which this is nice.

“But I haven’t tried yet the new kerbs. So maybe they feel even better compared to the old ones.”