Ecclestone calls F1's driver penalty system 'crazy'

Bernie Ecclestone has described the current approach to penalizing Formula 1 drivers for on-track incidents as "crazy."

Pundits have voiced criticism of some recent moves by Max Verstappen, but drivers across the grid are increasingly urging the FIA to clarify what is and isn't acceptable in racing.

"It's getting crazy," said Ecclestone, who quietly attended the Brazilian GP last weekend, as he lives nearby on a coffee plantation.

"You could sum up the current rules in one sentence - 'don't fight or you'll get into trouble'. We saw it in Mexico with the two 10-second penalties given to Max," the 94-year-old continued.

"If you give those penalties for that, what are you going to do if something more serious happens? How many seconds will you give in that case? I think we've gone too far at that level," Ecclestone argued.

"Too clean, too methodical. It's not really racing anymore."

Ecclestone, a frequent critic of various aspects of Formula 1, has been particularly vocal since being replaced by Liberty Media in 2017.

When asked by the Belgian broadcaster RTBF if he still recognizes the F1 of his era, Ecclestone said: "It's like everywhere in the world. Everything changes all the time.

"I'm not saying the current people are doing a bad job, they just haven't looked hard enough at the things that need to be gotten rid of and changed."