Mika Salo has gone some way to confirming reports FIA stewards are being lenient on F1 drivers’ on-track behaviour in 2013.<\/p>\n
We reported recently that, in a secret winter meeting, it was agreed that stewards would impose less penalties this year in a bid to encourage more wheel-to-wheel racing.<\/p>\n
The ex-driver representative on the stewards panel in Bahrain last time out was former Sauber and Ferrari driver Salo.<\/p>\n
The Finn told MTV3 broadcaster: “We saw really good racing in Bahrain.<\/p>\n
“I encourage just this kind of hard fighting, which should not be punished.<\/p>\n
“(Jenson) Button was angry when (Sergio) Perez hit him, and yes, of course, it could have spoiled both their races.<\/p>\n
“But while Perez drove pretty aggressively, it was good racing,” added Salo.<\/p>\n
Also going unpunished was Fernando Alonso, despite the fact his overtaking-aid ‘DRS’ rear wing flap was stuck open.<\/p>\n
Usually, illegal deployment of DRS would attract a penalty, but Salo said: “It was a technical problem, so we had nothing to investigate.<\/p>\n
“We were not asked to, and none of the other teams said anything about it.\u00a0 Actually, while he (Alonso) had a great chance to win, the fault spoiled his race.”<\/p>\n
Salo also commented on the form of his countryman Kimi Raikkonen, who is in a strong position in the world championship, with his Lotus making good use of Pirelli’s heavily-degrading tyres.<\/p>\n
“Kimi stopped one time less than the others, but I think the other teams will not take long to also learn to use the tyres.<\/p>\n
“I doubt Lotus will have this advantage for too long,” he added.<\/p>\n
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