A new rule change has been introduced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix after an incident involving Max Verstappen and Oliver Bearman.
In Australia, Bearman was able to unlap himself after Fernando Alonso’s crash and a safety car was brought out. He entered the track, after pitting, ahead of Verstappen and the Dutchman asked on his radio: “So this car is now staying here, or what?”
When told that Bearman would be, although the Haas man let Verstappen go beyond him, the loophole has since been closed.
The FIA ruled that it is now “at the sole discretion of the race director Rui Marques to decide whether or not the pit lane shall be closed during a Safety Car period.
“If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, the message ‘lapped cars may now overtake’ will be sent to all competitors using the official messaging system, and the green light on the safety car will be illuminated to signal to all cars that have been lapped by the leader that they are required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car.
“Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the safety car, these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking and they must make every effort to take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the safety car.
“Whilst such cars are proceeding around the track to rejoin the line of cars behind the safety car, and at the sole discretion of the race director, the pit lane exit may be closed when the safety car and line of cars behind it are approaching and passing the pit lane exit.”