Martin Brundle has not stayed silent after Lando Norris's heartbreak at the Spanish Grand Prix. The former F1 driver turned Sky Sports F1 analyst described what happened to Norris as feeling "rather like a robbery". A virtual safety car (VSC) that was deployed seconds after Norris passed the pit lane entry cost him a likely victory in Madrid.
The race at the Madring circuit was unfolding exactly as Norris had planned. The reigning world champion controlled the pace and seemed certain to take the top step. But the timing of the VSC changed everything. By the time Norris eventually pitted at the end of the next lap, the race had gone back to green. Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and Max Verstappen of Red Bull seized the moment to pit without losing significant time. Norris, who also suffered a slow pit stop, had to settle for third after dropping to fifth.
Norris's frustration was evident after the race. "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," he said. "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."
Brundle, who has experienced the bitter taste of losing a win due to non-technical factors, understands Norris's frustration. In his column for Sky Sports F1, he wrote, "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?"
He added, "What goes around comes around in the course of a season and even a career, but it felt rather like a robbery on Sunday." Brundle then offered a solution to prevent a repeat. He believes one option is to ensure the VSC remains in place for at least a full lap for all runners. "Some racing categories temporarily close the pit lane except for emergency repairs, but that can all get a bit confusing and congested too in the pit lane and is still not equal for everyone," he explained. "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."
Brundle also highlighted the Madring circuit, which hosted its first F1 race. He hopes to see layout changes to improve overtaking. "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," he concluded.
This incident has reignited the debate over F1's VSC rules. Norris himself had earlier called what happened in Spain "unfair". Now, with influential voices like Brundle weighing in, pressure mounts on the FIA and F1 to review the VSC regulations. Will changes come before the season ends? Only time will tell.
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