FIA sets maximum laptime for quali slow laps

The FIA has told drivers to keep driving quickly when they are not on flying laps this weekend in Monaco.

The news is reportedly a response to fears the 24-car field, including six very slow cars, will lead to traffic chaos in the initial 20-minute Q1 qualifying session.

Brazil’s Globo reports that the FIA has based the new maximum warm-up and slow-down laptime on the pace of the struggling HRTs.

Drivers will have to travel between the first and last corner no slower than 1 minute 22 seconds – about 7 seconds off the ultimate pace this weekend – to avoid stewards penalties.

However, 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg has admitted a lack of patience with all the complaining about likely qualifying traffic this weekend.

“Gimme a break!” he is quoted as saying by The Independent.

“There used to be 26 drivers out there in the old days, and half of them were slow, not just half a dozen!”

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