Well "What the [...] is up with that?" Olivia Rodrigo and You might ask and I gotta say it's the inconsistency. Meaning that one Rule Break leads to a penalty while another similar one doesn't or that a Rule Break receives a low penalty while other Rule Brekaing receive a very hard penalty.

I think a Quick Visualization should help.

If you Click on each underlined title, you can see the entire Scenario.

You then can Guess what the Penalty will be - the solution is unfoldable at the end of each section.

Verstappen Vs. Piastri

I've chosen an example from the most recent Race, the Abu Dhabi GP 2024 from lap 1

  • Verstappen started from 4th
  • Sainz from 3rd
  • Piastri 2nd
  • Norris 1st

In the First Corner, after overtaking Sainz easily, Verstappen dives into a corner, where thee is no room for it at all.

He causes a crash, causing both Cars to turn, Verstappen luckily could just drive off, Piastri however was send to the back of the Grid.

Verstappen continued the Race on place 14 while Piastri was far behind on place 20 and it would turn out, his car actually got damaged so he had to do an extra PitStop.

Solution - Verstappen Vs. Piastri

Verstappen +10s

 

Since Piastri has lost like 30 seconds off of it and is pretty much innocent while Verstappen is responsile for the crash and after all gains an adventage, I think that it is not enough especially given that both fight for points that are important for both the driver and the constructor champonship title. 

Lawson Vs. Bottas

Its is the fifth Lap of the Qatar GP, right after a safety Car. Lawson (14th) attacks Bottas (13th) right in the first Corner.

Laswon tries to overtake on the inside, forcing Bottas to go the long way around. So far it's looking good. However due to the special Asphalt of the track, the temperature and the recent safety car phase, a lot of drivers have problems with there Tyre temperature and have no Grip.

So does Liam Lawson. 

He looses Grip, drives straight out of the corner, into Bottas's racing line. He tries to steer against and therefore looses the back of his car. 

Bottas avoids contact, goes off the track and gets back on 15th position, loosing to spots. Lwason however turned around and got back on track as last (18th at that point), loosing four positions. neither Car was damaged.

Solution - Lawson Vs. Bottas

Lawson +10s

 

There was no contact made, Lawson hasn't had any benefit off of it and didn't intent to do what he did, since lots of people had tyre problems and he just suddenly lost grip. Now obviously he is still responsible for it and I don't want to say that Verstappen intended to hit Piastri but Verstappen intended to sneak through a spot where there simply was no place to go. Also Bottas hasn't lost much while Lawson did and both wheren't fighting for any points. Now that shouldn't play a role since Rules are for even the last person on the grid but since Verstappen and Piastri did fight for title-depending points I feel like this is an unfair rule enforcement since to me this seems more lika a racing incident than:

Perez Vs. Sainz

It's the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Penultimate lap and a harsh battle between Sainz (3rd) and Perez (4th)

After sneaking through in the first Corner, Sainz goes wide in corner number two, looses the back grip ant therefore gives Perez the opportunity to sneak back through.

Perez obviously trying to take that chance, comes up to Sainz with the better momentum. Sainz is still offside of the road with two wheels.

When Sainz tries to get back onto the track, Perez, eventough he has the better momentum and loads of space on his left hand side, does not give any room at all to Sainz, causing Perez's front right wheel to lock up with Sainzs back left, which scrambles both into the wall.

Solution - Perez Vs. Sainz

"Racing Incident"

Perez +0s/ Sainz +0s

 

Last but certainly not least. Eventough Sainz isn't entirely innocent I would mainly blame Perez for this crash since Sainz in my opinion just tried to return to the track and the racing line, given the next corner will be a left hand turn and Perez had loads of space which he could've given just a little bit. 

For me personally Perez is more responsible for this crash than Lawson is for the not crash

Fair Penalties in my opinion

I personally would've said:

Lawson Vs. Bottas: "racing incident"

Perez Vs. Sainz: Perez +5s just as a sign because he obviously couldn't finish the race :)

Verstappen Vs. Piastri: Verstappen maybe a drive trough penalty since Piastri lost so much and had to pit.

But...

It doesn't matter how you decide, someone won't be happy about the decision but I just feel like more consistency would 

  1. make people rather happy with the decision cause it still seems fair and
  2. also give the drivers a clear instruction on what they can and can't do.