F1 News: Sergio Perez Calls for Rule Change Ahead Of Imola - 'Needs to Be Looked at'

Sergio Perez calls for a review of F1's penalty system, pointing out that the addition of penalty points to race incidents can be excessive and requires reassessment.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) walks in the | Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez has voiced concerns over the current Formula 1 penalty points system, suggesting it warrants a thorough review. The Mexican driver believes that the stewards may be too quick to assign points on top of race penalties.

Among those scrutinizing the penalty points system is Sergio Perez, who currently sits on eight penalty points. Once a driver accumulates 12 penalty points over 12 months, it is automatically a race ban.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is teetering on the brink of suspension, holding 10 penalty points, the majority of which stemmed from a series of infractions at this year's Miami Grand Prix.

The Mexican driver revealed his reservations regarding how stewards allocate penalty points, especially post-incident. He commented, as quoted by GP Blog:

"It really needs to be looked at, because sometimes you are already punished with the consequences [of the incident] and then penalty points are added.

"I think it's something that definitely should be looked at. Every incident, if you see all the points that every driver gets, there are a lot of points that are probably over the line. But the rule is there. But hopefully, in the future, it's something that can be reviewed.”

Discussions around adjustments to the penalty points system have come to the forefront, especially after Magnussen's five penalty points in Miami. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether any changes will be made to this system.

The next race is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which is set for 17-19 May.