Veteran engineer, Alan Permane believes that the process of deciding the grid order following the allocation of penalties could be automated. With teams strategically opting to take on new power units at Spa, where 7 drivers faced penalties, it was almost two hours before the FIA could confirm the provisional grid for the Belgian Grand Prix. Two weeks later, with nine drivers penalised, teams, drivers and fans were left totally in the dark for almost four hours before the provisional grid was finally made available. It was not a good look for the sport. While the basics of the penalty system is easy enough to understand, it is the timing of when the penalties are awarded, the difference...
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