Lando Norris emphasized that "safety must come first," but wants the FIA to also be fair to teams that have managed to soften the blows
The issue of standstills in Formula 1 2022 divides many opinions - especially after the FIA (International Automobile Federation) decided to intervene. The body is working to establish a metric regarding 'porpoising' on account of the drivers' well-being, especially after the Azerbaijan GP, when Lewis Hamilton ended the race with severe back pain.
While many are immediately against or in favor of the FIA's action, Lando Norris has a divided opinion on the matter. He understands that safety must come first, but he wants justice for the teams that were able to remedy or alleviate this problem as well.
"Obviously, this was the main point of discussion at the weekend in Canada, and I must admit that I'm a little conflicted about it.The truth is that we are not very affected by the kicks, so we were not pushing the FIA for changes. But safety has to come first. If there is a real danger that drivers could have long-term health consequences, or that they could lose focus and crash, then something needs to be done," he said.
"It's just that the two teams in front [Red Bull and Ferrari] have clearly done a much better job than anyone else in terms of interpreting the rules, so I can see why they would be against mid-season changes," he added.
Defending champion and championship leader Max Verstappen differed from Lewis Hamilton at the press conference ahead of the Montreal round. The Red Bull Dutchman was against the entity's action, while the Mercedes Briton was in favor. And the #1's reason was the same raised by Lando: the efficiency that some teams have achieved in dealing with the issue.
The young Brit, however, raised that he would like other drivers to support them if he felt his health might be at risk.
"If I had a problem in a year or two, or that I felt I was putting my health at risk, I know I would want my fellow pilots to have my back. My main concern is that it's fair for everyone - ideally you would implement any changes after the season - but inevitably it will affect some more than others," he closed.