Daniel Ricciardo understands why Sebastian Vettel was frustrated when called into the weighbridge during Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying, and believes the FIA should make a rule tweak.
Vettel was stopped by the FIA for a weight check early in Q2 after competing only an out-lap after Ferrari decided to switch from supersoft to soft tyres.
With rain threatening, Vettel showed his obvious frustration by knocking over a marker come, initially not switching off his engine, and driving off the scales under his own power, which broke them.
After a hearing, he was given a reprimand and fined 25,000 euros for failing to obey the instructions of officials.
Ricciardo says that drivers shouldn’t be called into the weighbridge when they haven’t yet set a banker time, and suggests that the matter could be discussed at the next drivers’ briefing at the next race.
“If I was in his position, I’d be frustrated as well,” said Ricciardo when asked about Vettel by Motorsport.com.
“Because rain’s coming, he hasn’t set a lap yet, I guess in simple terms, they’re just postponing his qualifying and putting him at risk.
“I think we’re going to talk about it probably in Abu Dhabi now, but we might have to try and add something in – like you can only be called if you’ve set a lap.
“I think calling you to the bridge before you’ve set a lap, they’re kind of controlling your qualifying session, which I think is a bit unfair. So from that point of view I will, let’s say, sympathise with Seb.”
Asked about the normal procedure, he said: “Well, you’ve got to switch your car off, then the mechanics have to come, start it up.
“You lose, I couldn’t put a time on it – call it a minute or something. But, again, if the weather’s like that, it’s not ideal.
“They called me in in Suzuka, when I had my problem, I hadn’t set a time, I’ve literally come out and come in and they’ve called me in, and I was a bit like, ‘guys, why do you need me, I’ve done nothing.’
“But then they saw I’d had problems and let me go. But I kinda feel we need to set a lap before they call us on.”
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