Legends slam 'crazy' engine grid penalty rules

Three racing legends have slammed F1's long-life engine rules. In Austria, the full destructive potential of the rules was laid bare when Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were moved back a farcical 50 combined places on the grid as they exhausted their supply of four engines for the season.

"It's crazy," quadruple world champion Alain Prost said. "This aspect of the regulations should be changed -- the driver is already penalised by the failure of his engine, so why should he be further punished? What is the logic?" the French legend added.

Carlos Sainz, the father of the Toro Rosso rookie and a world rally legend, agreed: "This rule should be changed, as it stops people from understanding the formation of the grid. The rules of formula one are generally too complicated for the public," he added.

And former F1 driver Jean Alesi said: "I think to understand the rules now you need to be an engineer. Let's stop this while there is still time." (GMM)