Coulthard urges FIA to keep entertainment central after British GP safety car finish

Coulthard questions Silverstone safety car finish

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has urged the FIA to place entertainment closer to the centre of its decision-making after the British Grand Prix ended in anticlimactic fashion behind the safety car.

Although there were hopes of a green-flag restart, the race ultimately ran to the chequered flag under neutralised conditions. That outcome has sharpened debate around how Formula 1 balances strict procedure with the spectacle expected from a grand prix finish. For more on the governing body’s explanation, read our report on how the FIA blamed a software error for the British GP safety car confusion.

‘We’re entertainment’

“I would prefer not,” Coulthard said when asked if the grand prix should have ended in that manner. “Yes, there are rules, regulations, but we’re entertainment, and we should really try and keep that as a focal point.”

The 13-time grand prix winner acknowledged the existence of the regulation that prevented a restart once the unlapping process had reached a certain stage so close to the finish. But he suggested the operational sequence could be made faster once the field is already under control.

“Of course, there’s a rule that states that you cannot now restart the race if the cars have only been released from the back of the field within a lap of the finish,” he added. “But I think that process could be sped up. I really do. Once the safety car’s out, the cars are neutralised. Yes, the safety car has to pick up the leader, but once that’s done, no one’s overtaking. So, very quickly, they can be doing that.”

FIA explains the procedure

The FIA later stated that Article B5.13.5 requires one lap to be completed after the unlapping procedure, and said Race Operations followed that process. It also confirmed the ‘Safety Car In This Lap’ message had been displayed in error due to a software issue.

Coulthard accepted the pressure placed on race control, but argued F1 should take lessons from the finish. “We live and we learn,” he said. “It was a bit disappointing not to finish [with] a one-lap sprint. That would have been so much better than just sort of running it to the line.”