Wolff backs FIA after British GP safety car confusion at Silverstone

FIA explains Silverstone safety car confusion

The British Grand Prix finished behind the safety car at Silverstone, drawing boos from parts of the crowd after hopes of a late restart were briefly raised by an erroneous timing-screen message. The screens displayed ‘Safety Car ending’, but the FIA later clarified that the alert should not have appeared and was triggered by a software issue.

That clarification was central to the post-race debate, with the incorrect message creating the impression that the field might be released for a final-lap fight. For more on the software error and race-control sequence, read our report on how the FIA blamed a software error for the British GP Safety Car confusion.

Wolff: sport must come before the show

“I would have preferred for this to happen in 2021. That was more important,” Wolff joked when speaking to written media. “But it’s good that the regulations have been followed.”

He added that while fans were denied a potentially dramatic finish, safety car endings are part of Formula 1’s sporting framework.

“Sometimes it doesn’t give for the most exciting final. Certainly from a spectacle standpoint, everybody would have loved to see Lewis on a soft against us and maybe fighting with Leclerc,” Wolff said. “But this is a sport. The show follows the sport, and not the other way around. So it’s good that the FIA made that call.”

Russell defends consistent race control

The decision secured Russell second place and 18 championship points, a result protected by Mercedes’ decision to prioritise track position over fresh tyres. Russell echoed Wolff’s view, arguing race control should not alter its approach simply because a safety car comes near the end.

“Of course it’s a shame for any race to finish behind the safety car. But then you go back to Abu Dhabi 2021, and that is just how racing goes,” Russell said.

He added that incidents cannot be planned around and that FIA procedures should be applied consistently from start to finish. For Russell, the conclusion was disappointing but not a reason to treat the final laps differently.