McLaren claims Haas F1’s appeal to revisit US GP result over track limit violation is senseless


McLaren claims Haas F1’s appeal to revisit US GP result over track limit violation is senseless

Andrea Stella and Lando Norris (Via IMAGO)

Haas, on Saturday, requested the FIA to review the data they reviewed of the US GP and change the results accordingly. The American team scoured the onboard data of the Grand Prix and claimed that multiple drivers violated the allowed track limits violation. 

Three strikes of the violation bring out the black and white flag, after which additional breaches of track limits earn a driver a penalty. Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, and the two Williams drivers, Logan Sargeant and Alexander Albon, were the drivers Haas claimed were guilty. McLaren is unaffected by the request, but their Team Principal, Andrea Stella, did not consider the review to make sense.

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Stella reasoned that drivers change their laps according to the warnings given to them, and this would mean a whole different result in the race once drivers start adapting to stay within track limits. As the accused drivers remained unaware of their alleged violations the whole race by the FIA, they should not be penalized for it.

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You adapt your driving, you then adapt how match you push, you adapt your racing with the information you have. I think it makes no sense to revisit in hindsight, because had you had information all competitors could have adapted what they did. 
Stella said, as reported by autosport.com

Stella acknowledged that Haas retains the right to submit a review but does not expect anything to come of it. The McLaren head did say that the FIA needs to work out a better method of detecting and notifying teams and drivers of track limit violations. Stella said that the primary way teams find out about such violations is from deleted lap times, which was not the case in the US GP. 

Mclaren drivers optimistic for Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Lando Norris took the Sprint pole ahead of both Red Bulls on merit for the Saturday sprint race and kept Sergio Perez behind to take second in the sprint race. Norris said he took away a “lot of positives” from the sprint, saying he was confident for Sunday. The Briton said that he had had a good start off the line, though he took a bit too much care, which opened the door for Verstappen to blast through into first. 

OP and LN
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris (Credits: trendradars.com)
My initial start was good, but the second phase of the launch, maybe I was just a bit conservative – I don't think I had any wheelspin, I was just a little bit on the safe side…So many good surprises and a lot of positives for us. Tomorrow I'll try again and perhaps a little bit more overtaking.

Oscar Piastri had a good sprint as well, though he did not score any points. The Australian fought with his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo for P9 in his first time driving at the circuit. Piastri eventually did lose the place but said he had a good start in an eventful sprint and outdid himself occasionally.

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