Formula One is a highly regulated sport with an extensive rulebook that covers every aspect of the competition. These rules are established to ensure safety, fairness and the regular conduct of races.
However, there are instances that specific rules can be frustrating, especially when they lead to a driver’s disqualification, despite the effort. A recent example occurred at the US GP where both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified due to an older rule, leaving many in the audience at the event disappointed.
What is Formula One’s ‘parc ferme’ rule?
The term parc ferme is a French expression that can be interpreted as “closed park”. Traditionally, it refers to a secure area at a circuit where cars are checked over by scrutineers for legality and safety.
With the car in parc fermé, there’s no need to scratch anything. Take the time to work on the best strategy that might soften the blow (and the shame) and practice for some quick pit stops. That’s about it. #BrazilGP https://t.co/ER3Dd2A78E
— amaia 🇮🇱 (@amaia_end) November 4, 2023
In modern Formula One, parc ferme also refers to certain periods during a Grand Prix weekend where the cars are within their garages but are placed under the eye of the scrutineer and teams are restricted in the work they can do on them.
The ‘parc ferme’ rule, often referred to as a joke, restricts the extent to which teams could modify their configurations between sessions, thus discouraging the development of custom-built cars for both qualifying races as part of cost-saving measures.
Christian Horner blasts F1 rule that caused shock disqualifications
The Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, blasts Formula 1’s parc ferme rules for sprint weekends. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the US GP collectively. The application of parc ferme regulations has always been a fundamental element of Formula One rules, but the incorporation of sprint weekends has brought additional complexities.
The updated sprint format for 2023 requires that parc ferme conditions come into play on Friday following the initial session of the weekend.
In Austin, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were executed from the results after the race due to excessive wear of skid blocks. It was later disclosed that this problem stemmed from parc ferme restrictions, which left teams uncertain about the ride heights of their cars.
Hamilton, Leclerc disqualified from US GP as Norris/Sainz gain pic.twitter.com/UIqXJpnOot
— Hob News (@hob_news) October 23, 2023
Horner sympathizes with both drivers, dismissing the parc ferme rule by saying “Keep it simple. For me, parc ferme, locking a car in doesn’t work after one session.”
“Why not take the championship order and reverse the top ten for a shootout? But then it’s got to mean something.
“It’s got to have sufficient points to it because you could tell at the end of that race, we’re not quite sure whether we congratulate each other or not. I think it’s got to have more meaning to it.”
“You’ve got to create more to it. It’s got to be more of an event in itself than an extended long run with a medal at the end.”
“It needs a think over the winter because I think there’s real merit to doing something, but I don’t think we’ve got it quite right at the moment.”
What are your opinions on the parc ferme rule? Tell us in the comment section below.
