F1 drivers are like a shy dog ​​behind the wheel

As the racing manager of the IndyCar series, Arie Luyendyk will have a different view of some of the events than his Formula 1 counterparts. Hamilton in Monza.

While working with different maids during Formula 1 season, Ari Luentik was one of two permanent maids in the American Indigo series throughout the year. Drivers in Formula 1 are called upon to account for every minor violation, but a lot more may be allowed on IndyCar. “We let them race, we let them lean against each other,” Luyendyk Motorsport.com says of the fact that the Netherlands are allowed a little more on the other side of the Atlantic. “Sometimes it happens a little too much, but we don’t immediately pay the fine.”

According to Luyendyk, a somewhat relaxed approach benefits racing because drivers do not have to constantly fear that a failed previous action will result in a penalty: “We do not want to put pressure on the boys as we now do in Formula 1. Like: ‘Can I do it?’ They are all … like a little shy dog, behind the wheel. ‘Can I do that?’

Playground

The free form of racing can sometimes be used by drivers going to the United States after a long life in Europe: “I’m not saying one is better than the other, but when Romain Grosjean came to drive with us I told him there was a big window where we could play. To explain to him.

Luentik follows Formula 1 closely from the United States. The Dutchman must admit that he does not always agree with the decisions his colleagues make: “Some of the things that happened in Formula 1 this year, I did not accept it. For example, whether or not Lewis Hamilton did, that Max Verstappen was punished. Or how heavy.”

What does Luentique think about Silverstone and Monza?

This automatically takes us to two of the most talked about moments of Formula 1 season so far: the clashes between two title rivals at Silverstone and Monza earlier this year. Hamilton was awarded a ten-second penalty for colliding with Max Verstappen in the opening lap of the British Grand Prix. What does Luentik think about it? “At Silverstone, I thought it was the result of a tough confrontation. With us, the party in charge always wants to catch up. Then if that page touches the other, it’s probably because the other went down. Max went down a bit, but then stopped. Then in our IndyCar world it hit Hamilton. It would have been a penalty, but not a time penalty.We make a trip or you have to return the post, but there is little to return here because Max was too heavy on the fence and in my case I would have driven him.

Then came the second clash between Verstappen and Hamilton: the incident during the Italian Grand Prix marked the end of the race for both drivers. The result was a stage penalty for Verstappen for the next race in Russia. According to Luentik, this is unreasonable: “I would not have done anything there. Because eventually Max went to where the place was, but the place disappeared very quickly and because of that he came to Karb. He was not the first to come on the curb. I did nothing there. After all, they were both out.

Check out part of the conversation with Arie Luyendyk at the top of this page, in which we ask him about the popularity of Formula 1 in the United States, the ‘Netflix effect’ and the title battle between Hamilton and Verstappen. Earlier this week, the two-time Indi500 winner looked in detail at last Indigo season and the year of Rinas von Calmwood.