F1 drivers want clarity from FIA after Austin controversy
10/25/2024 12:24 PM
FIA race director Niels Wittich and officials are set to be grilled by competitors in Friday's Drivers' briefing at the Autodromo Hermans Rodriguez as the group seeks clarity on why Max Verstappen was given a free pass by the stewards in his battle with Lando Norris in the US Grand Prix.
Both drivers veered off course at COTA's Turn 12 with four laps to go in the race, with Norris handed a five-second penalty for passing Verstappen off the track, while the Red Bull driver escaped without a sanction despite running wide at the exit of the corner and forcing his rival to do the same.
McLaren has petitioned the FIA for a right of review regarding the incident, with a hearing scheduled between Friday's practice sessions at the Mexican Grand Prix. However, the drivers are keen to clearly understand the governing body's stance on such incidents.
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration over the lack of consistency of rulings, emphasizing the "grey area" in the regulations and how stewards' decisions can vary.
"It's always been a grey area," said the seven-time world champion. "They probably need to make some adjustments for sure. Also we do have inconsistencies through rulings depending on which stewards are there. And as a sport, we do need to level up on all areas.
"I experienced it many times with Max. You shouldn't be able to just launch the car up the inside and then go off and still hold the position."
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George Russell, Hamilton's teammate and a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), voiced his curiosity about the FIA's current interpretation of the incident. He raised the possibility that Verstappen was perhaps exploiting a flaw in the regulations.
"I don't think you can write a set of regulations that covers every single possible scenario, it is a very fine line," Russell said.
"I'm really interested to see if the FIA believe, having reviewed everything again, if Max should have been penalised for what he did or not.
"In my view, he should have been penalised. Therefore, there isn't really a loophole. If they say: 'Based on our regulations, he should not have been penalised', then he is exploiting a loophole."
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz shared his reservations about how aggressive a defensive move can become under the current rules, arguing that both Norris and Verstappen had some fault in the incident. He stressed the need for clearer guidelines.
"That is a very good question that I need to ask the stewards, because obviously it changes the way we go racing," he said. "It means the guy defending on the inside can brake as late as they want and they can fake the fact that you are trying to hit the apex when you are maybe not.
"It needs to be clarified because in that case they were both to blame; Max for running wide and Lando for gaining a position off the track. That is why that specific scenario is a very complicated one on how to rule on it."
Both Russell and Sainz suggested that a gravel strip on the outside of COTA's Turn 12 would be a more effective solution than continually refining racing guidelines.
Russell highlighted the positive impact of circuit changes, for instance, in Austria.
"The root cause of the problem is having a circuit that allows you to run wide. And if we take Austria last year as an example, you had, I don't know, 300 track limit problems. They put gravel in, and there's no problems."
Sainz agreed, stating, "If you think about it, the solution might be solved by itself by circuit standards or modifications. We keep going around in circles with guidelines that might be easier to solve with certain, slight changes to the track, which some tracks have already performed."
The Circuit of the Americas is reportedly discussing potential changes with the FIA ahead of the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, the outcome of McLaren's right of review and the ongoing discussions among drivers and officials could lead to further refinement in the application of racing rules.
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