Formula One: Lance Stroll calls controversial climax of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ‘ridiculous’

Lance Stroll has slammed the handling of last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as ‘ridiculous’ and demanded that the regulations are clearer to avoid a repeat of the controversial finale this season.

Max Verstappen’s victory over Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season provided a fitting ending to one of the most memorable Formula One seasons of all time.

But the nature of the Dutchman’s victory, coming after some cars were allowed to unlap themselves before the safety car was brought in and others were not,  led to a huge fall out within the sport.

Stroll described the ending to last season’s finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as ‘ridiculous’

And Stroll, who was  denied the chance to attack Daniel Riccardio and Mick Schumacher on fresh rubber in the final lap after pitting fresh soft tires, said the sport needed to have far clearer rules from now on. 

‘Abu Dhabi was not right,’ Stroll told The Race. 

‘Consistency in our sport is not our strongest point. The rules are the rules and we can’t be changing or modifying rules for entertainment. 

‘The rules are the rules, when there’s a safety car, lapped cars get to overtake the safety car and then we go racing. There’s nothing that says half the cars can overtake and half the cars have to stay behind and then we’ll go racing.

‘My opinion is that it’s ridiculous that we didn’t go back racing the way that we should have gone back.

‘You can’t change the rules halfway through, at the end of a race, and tell half the cars they can overtake.’  

Sebastian Vettel (L) agreed with Stroll that fair racing, not excitement, should be the priority

Verstappen’s victory capped an enthralling F1 season but led to a huge fallout in the sport

Stroll said Formula One needed to be clearer and more consistent, and focus more on staging a fair race than an exciting one.

‘It’s just never been done before and it’s important that we keep rules consistent,’ he added.

‘I understand it’s great to go racing and everyone wants to see the last lap of the race and the two drivers fighting for the world championship go head-to-head with one lap to go but we can’t be making up rules at the end of a race, that has to be set in stone.

‘If there was maybe an error where cars didn’t pass soon enough when the safety car came out or backmarkers weren’t allowed to pass the safety car early enough and the consequence is we won’t get the whole lap of racing well, then that’s how it is.

‘That is the rule, the rules have to be consistent. In Formula 1 we’ve seen some inconsistency in penalties and decision making and I think this was maybe a little bit too much. It’s important that those things are set in stone.’ 

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who is Stroll’s Aston Martin team-mate, added: ‘The main thing is that we focus on the sport and not so much on the show. Last year it was always going to be a great final or great last race, because there was one winner and one loser. 

Lewis Hamilton missed out on a record-breaking eighth championship due to the rule change

‘Ideally, you have two winners, but that’s not how the sport is designed, or any sport is designed, so it wasn’t going to work.

‘Obviously, I was in the race and wondering why we’re not released earlier in order to get the race started again, but I guess there’s a protocol and rules.

‘The main thing is that going forwards there’s clarity [over] what’s happening in these sort of situations and no questions asked anymore.’