After qualifying for the Grand Prix of Mexico, the FIA commissioners have once again taken care of the new Burlesque, showing Formula 1 once more in a light that does not rival the elite motorsport class. How long will it take before System 1 finally realizes that its judges often deserve punishment.
Just before the end of qualifying, Valtteri Bottas collided into the guardrail in the last corner while all the best were behind him. It was immediately clear to every layman that we would no longer see the improvement in times due to the double yellow flags. Nevertheless, Max Verstappen crossed the finish line with new records, setting the fastest time of the last sector where Bottas' car was stopped.
It was quite evident that the case deserves at least an investigation, which, to the astonishment of the entire F1 caravan, was not. The FIA only reacted when Verstappen repeatedly acknowledged that he did not release the gas despite the yellow flag, and the Dutchman's words were circling the World Wide Web.
The bizarre thing about it all is that the judges who decide on the results of the F1 races, despite sitting in a room with all sorts of screens, only respond based on media records and the racer's confession. Then why would you even need them? The FIA has confirmed that it would not investigate the matter at all if Verstappen did not admit to the press conference without regret.
If a record lap time, the fastest last sector, a snapshot of Verstapp's run past the yellow flag and a runner's recognition are not enough for a commissioner's inquiry, then we can seriously question what these people are even doing. Why would they even need it if we can wait for the racer to admit the offense itself.
In the end, the FIA awarded Verstappen a penalty of three starting places, although it would have earned it mostly by itself. Such practices are detrimental to Formula One's reputation as an elite motorsport class, and it might be time to ban any of the F1 judges by banning them from racing.
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