Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has called for the engine loophole used so successfully by Lewis Hamilton this weekend to be closed, after the Briton incurred a 55-place grid penalty for changing his power unit three times.
Hamilton took advantage of the rule which means a driver can change their engine as many times as they like during a race weekend, in order to create a pool of components to use over the season without incurring further penalties, but only drop to the back of the grid as penalties aren't carried over to following events.
Therefore a 55-place grid penalty will only ever see a driver drop a maximum of 21 places.
Despite benefitting massively from the loophole, Wolff believes it should be closed for next season.
"Last year we had a race where Jenson [Button] took 52 places, and it was so ridiculous," Wolff told Autosport.
"To use more than one engine over a race weekend, that shouldn’t be happening," he added, confirming talks to close the loophole previously took place, but an agreement couldn't be found.
"So we tried to bring in a regulation saying you cannot stockpile engines, but it failed. The proposal wasn’t accepted by the other teams."
Mercedes therefore exploited it as any other team would if they were in the same situation.
"So this time around we decided to take more engines on board and put them on stock.
"But the system is far from perfect, and it sounds a bit ridiculous. We should probably close that loophole."
Note: Hamilton's total penalty this weekend was 60-places, though five of those were for breaking a gearbox seal.
