F1 British GP safety car finish defended amid fan backlash

Anthony Davidson has defended the decision to finish the British Grand Prix under safety car conditions, insisting that the Formula 1 regulations must be followed regardless of the entertainment factor.

The end of the race at Silverstone drew mixed reactions from fans after the drivers crossed the finish line under safety car conditions. The safety car was deployed on lap 48 of 52 when Max Verstappen became beached in the gravel at Stowe corner. While the remaining laps wound down, fans' hopes were raised when a message stating the safety car was to come in flashed up on the broadcast.

Despite the message, the safety car remained out until the end of the race. The FIA later confirmed that the message was displayed in error, and there were not enough laps left in the race to carry out the full unlapping procedure.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Davidson shut down the idea that the race should not have ended behind the safety car. 

"I think that's why everyone was unhappy with Abu Dhabi 2021. The people who knew the rules knew that regulation because it hasn't changed since then," he said. "I think that's what the upset was all about. And back then, obviously, Lewis Hamilton fans and Mercedes fans wanted the lettering that's written down in all of the sporting regulations to be adhered to.

"So, you can't have it both ways. You can't have this time the Hamilton fans saying, 'Oh, we should have just got the race going again. He was on fresh tyres. He could have overtaken George Russell.' You were the same people who wanted the rule to be followed to the letter of the law in Abu Dhabi.

"So you have to follow the rules. The rules are there for good reason. What was unfortunate is we just ran out of time. It wouldn't have been a problem if there were 10 laps still remaining.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

"We would have got the race going. It would have been fine. But some people I've spoken to said that on both occasions, 2021 and Silverstone, should have been red-flagged. I think that's quite an easy thing to do."

He later added: "Personally, I don't really have an issue with races finishing under safety car, especially when it's right at the end of the race, because quite often by that point in time, you've got the picture of what was going to happen. How many American races do we see finish under either full caution or safety car?

"It's one of those things where it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Unfortunately, you're out of time, and it came too late. The race finished under a safety car. I would obviously prefer it to be green, but I don't really have too many issues with it finishing under a safety car because, by the last couple of laps, you usually know the result."