Toto Wolff says the current Formula 1 grid penalty system looks ‘ridiculo༒us’ and wants rule changes but isn’t hopeful of seeing any changes in the immediate future.

The Mercedes team principal saw his own🐼 driver Valtteri Bottas pick up a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change but vented his frustration at the engine penalties which he believes must inspire a rule change to stop F1 becoming a joke.

Fernando Alonso has been given a✤ 35-place grid drop for the Japanese Grand Prix for using over the exceeded number of engine parts, the Spanish driver has notched up 140 grid place penalties for McLaren-Honda in 2017 so far, while Carlos Sainz and Jolyon Palmer are also starting from the back having been handed 20-place grid penalties respectively.

“I am not a fan 🐼of driver penalties, they look ridiculous,” Wolff said.ꦆ “Here a McLaren going back 35 places feels odd.

“We have to think if we can come up with a system that penalises the driver less but still keeps an emphasis on not making the cost escalate – we don’t want to bring a new power unit to every race just bec𒈔ause the penalty is not a sporting penalty.”

Despite Wolff’s calls for change, which is supported by many F1 team bosses and drivers, he isn’t optimistic for change having seen the issue stick around for✱ a number of years.

“I’ve 🦄been here since 2009 and we’ve been talking about the same things allౠ the time.”