Button and Brundle Propose Rival Fixes After British GP Safety Car Finish

The British Grand Prix ended under the Safety Car after Max Verstappen's spin at Stowe on lap 48 triggered a late neutralization. A software error flashed an "in this lap" message, but rules required Bernd Mayländer to stay out one more lap, leaving Charles Leclerc to lead a procession home.

Why it matters:

Finishing behind the Safety Car is one of F1's most divisive issues, with critics arguing rigid regulations rob fans of a proper finale. The Silverstone fallout has renewed pressure on the FIA to prevent sell-out crowds from watching an anticlimactic parade.

The details:

• Button's plan: Jenson Button suggested an IndyCar-style race extension under caution to guarantee a green-flag finish. He conceded F1's tight fuel limits make this tricky, but argued spectators deserve a proper finale.
• Brundle's fix: Martin Brundle proposed sending lapped cars through the pits to rejoin at the back, scrapping the unlapping lap. He also backed a red-flag restart, noting current rules unfairly help backmarkers who "haven't been good enough."
• Szafnauer's call: Former team principal Otmar Szafnauer urged the FIA to throw a red flag "for the fans," insisting it would have been legal and far better than a neutralised ending.

Between the lines:

Brundle's past debates with the late Charlie Whiting show how long this loophole has festered. The row exposes a tension between strict compliance and the reality that Formula 1 cannot afford to let its biggest races end with a whimper.