22/09/2017
NEWS STORY
Such is the current state of the sport, certainly in terms of the universally loathed grid penalty rules, at the recent Italian Grand Prix, pole-man Lewis Hamilton was the only driver who started from the same position for which he qualified.
With 9 drivers handed grid penalties ranging from 5 to 35, all for exceeding their allocation of power units or components, and with the likes of the Red Bull duo demoted to the back row, the sport (yet again) was made a laughing stock.
However, as the sport seeks an alternative, not wanting to punish the drivers but aware that teams (manufacturers) must be held to account for poor reliability, and with Ross Brawn admitting that it could be 2021 before changes can be made, the even stricter rules for 2018 mean we are likely to see repeats of the Monza madness.
Currently, drivers are limited to 4 Internal Combustion Engines and four of each of the components that comprise the power unit, the Turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, Energy Stores and Control Electrics.
However, Article 23.3 a) of the 2018 Sporting Regulations, states: "Unless he drives for more than one team, each driver may use no more than 3 engines (ICE), 3 motor generator units-heat (MGU-H), 3 turbochargers (TC), 2 energy stores (ES), 2 control electronics (CE) and 2 motor generator units-kinetic (MGU-K).
"Should a driver use more than the numbers set in a) above of any one of the elements during a Championship season, a grid place penalty will be imposed upon him at the first event during which each additional element is used."
The first time an additional element is used will incur a ten grid place penalty, and subsequent changes will result in a five grid place penalty.
Any of the six elements will be deemed to have been used once the car's timing transponder has shown that it has left the pit lane.
With the 2018 calendar containing 21 events - though this has to be confirmed - this will put even more pressure on reliability.
Furthermore, the lowering of the limits and the resultant penalties are likely to leave manufactures less likely to introduce updates over the course of the season, and when they do these will be strictly limited.