Martin Brundle offers F1 virtual safety car solution after Lando Norris ‘robbery’ at Spanish GP

Martin Brundle has offered a potential solution after Lando Norris was robbed of victory at the Spanish Grand Prix because of the timing of a virtual safety car. 

Reigning world champion Norris was in control of the race in Madrid and looked likely to claim what seemed like a certain win when the VSC was deployed seconds after the McLaren driver passed the entry to the pit lane. 

By the time Norris pitted at the end of the next lap, the race had gone back to green flag conditions, meaning he was unable to save crucial time unlike Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. A slow pit stop only added to the pain for Norris, who rejoined in fifth before recovering to third. 

The lost win has led to a debate as to whether F1’s VSC rules need tweaking, with Norris labelling what happened in Spain as being “unfair”. 

Norris said: "It is a rule that should not define a whole race. I was the only one on the whole grid that didn't get the chance to do the pit stop. That’s just unfortunate.

"There's been plenty of times where I've gained from it in the past and times where I've lost from it, and it's racing, but never when fighting for a win. So, it's probably one of the first times a win has been lost simply because of it.”

Former F1 driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst Brundle has now weighed into the debate, believing what happened to Norris “felt rather like a robbery”. 

“Antonelli and Verstappen were both immediately magnanimous post-race when declaring it Norris' victory without the unfortunate virtual safety car timing. Should a driver lose a race because another driver has made a mistake or had a car failure?” Brundle wrote in his post-race column for Sky Sports F1. 

“What goes around comes around in the course of a season and even a career, but it felt rather like a robbery on Sunday.”

Like Norris suggested after the race, Brundle reckons one solution would be for F1 to keep the VSC in place for at least one full lap, enabling every driver the same opportunity to pit. 

“Some racing categories temporarily close the pit lane except for emergency repairs (or emergency refuelling if they have that), but that can all get a bit confusing and congested too in the pit lane and is still not equal for everyone,” Brundle continued. 

“One solution might be to ensure that if a virtual safety is deployed, then it must stay in place for at least a full lap of all the runners to keep it fairer. Although, of course, that costs green flag full-speed racing time, which is what people want to see in the grandstands and on their devices.

“By next year I hope and expect that the Madring will have some track layout changes to improve overtaking, a more condensed and practical set up behind the scenes, and better signage for all. It has all the ingredients to make a credible contribution to the F1 season.”