Former Ferrari driver slams F1’s ‘green flag obsession,’ and demands major rule change

Following the contentious finale of the Australian Grand Prix, former Ferrari driver Stefan Johansson expresses worry about F1's concentration on entertainment and advocates for regulation changes.

2023 F1 Australian GP

Former Ferrari driver and 24 Hours of Le Man’s driver, Stefan Johansson, has called for a rule change in Formula 1 following the chaotic ending to the Australian GP. Johansson has questioned the “obsession” with ending races under green flag conditions and believes it leads to questionable decision-making by the FIA.

The Australian Grand Prix was one of the most chaotic races recently, with three red flags waved during the race. The final red flag was shown after a multi-car pile-up at the restart. The race was suspended, and after the debris was cleared, it resumed under green flag conditions, only to be followed immediately by the safety car, rendering the value of the green flag meaningless.

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Stefan Johansson believes ending races under green flag conditions is becoming an unfair practice and is leading to the blurring of lines between sport and entertainment under Liberty Media, the current owners of F1. In an interview with PlanetF1.com, Johansson said, “It certainly did not look good no matter what angle you look at it from.” The Swedish man added, “Instead, you have one lap literally, where everybody will just pile into each other – it changes the whole outcome of the event just for the sake of not finishing behind the Safety Car.”

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Stefan Johansson argues against ending F1 races under green flag conditions for entertainment purposes

Australian Grand Prix second restart (Credits: Autoweek)

Johansson’s criticism of F1 comes in the wake of similar comments from other racing personalities who feel that F1 is becoming more about entertainment and less about the sport. The controversial ending to the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, which saw Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battling for the championship, revealed that teams had agreed with the FIA to end Grand Prix races under green flag conditions, whenever possible.

Johansson argues that this practice is unfair to the drivers and teams who have worked hard throughout the race, only to see the outcome changed by a single lap. “It throws the race completely,” he said, “you bust your a** the whole race and then you end up either getting a random penalty or get taken out on the restart or whatever, so I don’t think it’s the fairest way to end the race for either the teams or the drivers.”

Of course, it was going to be complete CHAOS! Gasly, Ocon, De vries, Sargeant out, nice save by Stroll… Chaotic restart in Melbourne and Latifi is not even on the grid ?
Sainz and Alonso contact caused the incident! #f1 #AusGP #AustraliaGP #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/Wavegx4prA
— Winnie Njuguna (@shikoWinnie) April 2, 2023

Johansson’s statements raise concerns about the future of Formula One and the role of entertainment in the sport. While F1 has always been a mix of sport and entertainment, Liberty Media has increased the emphasis on the latter. As Johansson points out, finishing races under green flag conditions is not always the ideal approach to deciding a victor and can result in biased results. The wild finish to the Australian Grand Prix has raised the issue of the balance between sport and entertainment in Formula 1. Johansson’s request for a rule change is opportune, but it remains to be seen if F1 will take it seriously.