Heidfeld Should Have Stopped On The Track
Just because it is stating the obvious to declare that the law denying cars the right to pitting for fuel under the Safety Car is an ass doesn't mean it shouldn't be repeated.
The directive wrecked Heidfeld's race, with the German forced to stop in the knowledge that it would mean a stop-and-go punishment (although he was apparently unaware that he would have to serve his penalty once the Safety Car had been called in). "I had just passed the pit entry when I got the signal to come in. I then tried to save fuel and delay my pit stop, but in the end it was the choice between running out of fuel on the track or getting a stop and go penalty," he reported disconsolately after the race.
Given that a ten-second stop-and-go penalty actually adds up to a driver losing around thirty seconds to the rest of the field, Heidfeld might as well have stopped. Indeed, perhaps it will require a driver and team to make such a protest against the rulebook's absurdity before the authorities finally act to amend F1's ridiculous malfunction.
