Whiting: “Schumacher should know the rules!”
Charlie Whiting, the Formula One race director, believes that if Michael Schumacher had a better grasp of the sport's regulations, he could have avoided creating chaos at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Briton also reminds that teams are responsible for ensuring their drivers understand the regulations.
During the last Hungarian Grand Prix, the start procedure was slightly disrupted due to Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes being incorrectly placed on the grid.
Charlie Whiting, the man who manages the starts for the FIA during races, was unhappy with the behavior of the German driver and made it known to him through an interview for the German newspaper Bild: « Schumacher really caused chaos at the start. He should know the rules. »
The journalist then asked Whiting if the drivers were required to take a test with the FIA before obtaining their super license, a mandatory document to drive a Formula 1 car: “It’s not the FIA that does that,” the Briton replied. “We assume that the teams present in Formula 1 know the rules and that it is their responsibility to ensure that their drivers and employees are also aware of them.”
The rules for departure procedures have somewhat evolved since Michael Schumacher’s first retirement at the end of 2006. For example, the German should not have deliberately cut his engine to bring his single-seater back to the pits by his own means. In Hungary, the track marshals had to bring the seven-time world champion’s Mercedes back to the pit lane themselves.
