Haas has expressed displeasure with the outcome of the US Grand Prix, claiming that multiple drivers may have gotten away with going over the track limits too frequently.
Three Formula 1 teams have been called before the FIA for a hearing this week following protests over the United States Grand Prix outcome.
Haas made it clear that they intended to use their right of review with regard to the outcome nearly two weeks after the Austin race concluded. The team claims there is evidence of multiple drivers going off the track without being penalized, and it is understood that they are unhappy that track limits were not appropriately enforced during the race.
The FIA has also called in three other teams in addition to Haas. On Wednesday, November 8, Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Williams will all participate in a virtual hearing.
The purpose of those preliminary proceedings is to determine if there is sufficient new evidence to warrant granting the right of review. A representative for the FIA stated, “A subsequent hearing will only occur if criteria are satisfied.”
The only vehicle that is specifically mentioned in the official FIA documentation pertaining to the issue is Alex Albon’s Williams vehicle. During that race, the British-Thai racer broke the track limits and was given a five-second penalty.
However, Haas believes that he is among the few drivers who might have gotten away with cutting the corner at turn six. The positioning of the external cameras was incorrect, making it impossible to police track limits on the inside of that specific corner.
Albon placed eleventh while racing on the road, but after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified, he was eventually placed ninth. Logan Sargeant, Williams’ teammate, lagged one spot behind.
Nico Hulkenberg of Haas finished less than four seconds behind Albon despite finishing 11th in the final classification. He would have thus finished behind the German driver who would have been moved up into the points if he had been hit with additional penalties for going over the track limits.
Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll are the other drivers believed to be targets of Haas’ protest, hence the summons for Red Bull and Aston Martin. But both of them finished too far ahead of Hulkenberg for any further penalties to either of them to be of significant consequence as far as Haas are concerned.
The likelihood of Haas’ protest being successful is slim. There have been several right of reviews in recent years but none of them have stuck. Haas will need to bring significant new evidence that was not available to them at the time, and onboard camera footage from cars is highly unlikely to meet that criteria.
Leave a Reply