It was announced on 18th October that the World Motorsports Council of the governing body, the FIA, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, will drop the Fastest-Lap bonus point from 2025 onwards. The bonus point was introduced back in 2019 as an incentive for drivers fighting in the lower position to push more near the end of the Grand Prix. Teams at the front of the grid have also used it for strategic advantage.
Simply, the Fastest-Lap bonus point is awarded to the driver who achieves the fastest lap in a Grand Prix. It does not apply to Sprint Races.
Going forward, the single point for the driver hoping to achieve an advantage in the Drivers Championship or their Constructor will no longer apply. This means the extra element that creates a spectacle for the fans watching will no longer have any representation.
Main Reason for the Removal of the Fastest-Lap
The decision to drop Fastest-Lap came down to the events of the Singapore Grand Prix. More notably, when RB’s driver, Daniel Ricciardo, stole the fastest lap point over the championship contender, Lando Norris. Now, at this point, you are probably questioning, Is this the main reason why the fastest lap point has been rebuked? To an extent.
Teams and drivers can rebuke their chase for the driver ahead and stop for a fresh set of tyres to take the Fastest Lap point during the closing stages of a race. Now, in the case of Daniel Ricciardo, that is what the Australian driver attempted to do—and succeeded. However, the former RB driver could not take the point as he finished 18th.
The rule states that for the driver to achieve the Fastest-Lap point, they must finish inside the top 10. On the final lap, Lando was on for taking the race win and an additional point for the fastest lap why Ricciardo had relieved him of.
Red Bull’s Use of Sister Team Tactics?
This event was mainly down to Lando Norris’s inability to create maximum damage to Max Verstappen’s championship lead, highlighting the potential abuse of team-to-team tactics to thwart another rival.
As we are all aware, RB is the ‘sister’ or ‘junior team’ to the Milton Keynes-based team, which raises the question of whether Red Bull used team-to-team tactics to stop Norris.
ESPN discovered that Red Bull’s CEO and Team Principal, Christian Horner, denied any forms of collusion between the two teams stating:
“Daniel obviously wanted to finish the race on a high,” Horner said. “You’d have to ask VCARB about that.”
Racing Bulls, Team Principal, Laurent Mekies, made his thoughts clear on the matter when addressed with matter, clarifying:
“Given this may have been Daniel’s last race, we wanted to give him the chance to savour it and go out with the fastest lap.”
Purple No Longer Looks Good
In the case of this incident, Formula 1’s use of the colour purple, emphasising that a driver is the fastest car currently on track, now loses its sense of identity. The chance to score another point in achieving the fastest lap is now scrapped indefinitely.
This does create an adverse effect; as we have been told by Red Bull and RB that no communication between the team has been identified, it does stain the sportsmanship within Formula 1 regardless of any conspiracy.
Zac Brown, the CEO of McLaren, has made his intentions clear to Autosport on two teams competing under the same ownership, emphasising that:
“It’s not allowed in any other sport, because of political influence, and player trading. It’s for all the reasons you can think of.”
This links to how RB was able to help its sister team steal the Fastest Lap point away from McLaren, aiding Max Verstappen in his battle for the Driver’s Championship.
What Needs to be Addressed?
The team Principal of McLaren, Andrea Stella, had mixed thoughts regarding Ricciardo’s Fastest-Lap. Quoted from Motorsport.com
“I have so much sympathy, support and friendship with Daniel that I’m just happy that he may add this fastest lap to his track record.” Knowing that F1’s beloved honey badger was under scrutiny about his future.
But on the other hand, Stella was shocked by Daniel’s last-lap dash and concerned it may have aided Red Bull:
“This needs to be definitely addressed. But at no point I have elements now to say RB went for the fastest lap to support the Red Bull. I just find it a little… how to say… peculiar. I did not see it coming.”
Overall, the need to be autonomous needs to be invoked, which is what Stella emphasises. rather than being politically influenced by another team, which links to what Zac Brown identified in competing under the same ownership.
It remains unclear whether Ricciardo acted alone or was told by his team to set the fastest lap. The use of sister team tactics taints the very fabric of sportsmanship within Formula 1. Not promoting autonomous racing but supporting other teams’ agendas upsets the on-track action and results of a race. It does create shock but not excitement, only resentment.
If you would like to learn more news about the world of Formula 1? Then why not check out “Max Verstappen to Become World Champion in Las Vegas?” or “Will Formula 1 Make a Historic Return to Africa?”