McLaren wants FIA to review stance on sanctions after Qatar

McLaren believe that FIA should review how sanctions are applied in the after having warned that the sanction to Lando Norris at the Qatar GP risks having “consequences”.

While the Woking-based team admits Norris failed to slow down due to double yellow flags caused by the car's rear-view mirror Alex Albon in the straight line, the team manager, Andrea Stella believes the 10-second stop-go penalty was too extreme.

The Italian believes that the sanction is very disproportionate to the crime committed and fears that similar circumstances could create more serious problems in the future.

In his statements after the race, He said: “I acknowledge here that after checking the data, Lando has not slowed down. But the lack of specificity and proportion is quite worrying and is also a factor that could have a decisive impact on the world championship .”

“It's clear, this is something that the FIA ​​should consider very seriously if we want fairness to be part of Formula 1 competition. It's a very important issue.”

“There is a huge commitment from all teams, a huge commitment from all parties, and we need to ensure that business is conducted in a way that ensures a fundamental element of proportion and specificity when applied a sanction, otherwise the consequences may spiral out of control.

“It seems to me that somewhere there must be a book with a lot of dust that was removed at that time [y alguien dijo]: 'Let's see what he says. Okay, I apply this,” he added.

Stella explained that the review the FIA ​​should carry out is based more on how sanctions will be applied in the futureinstead of trying to change the sanction imposed on Norris in Qatar.

“We hope that this matter, with such a severe sanction, will be reviewed by the FIA. In our opinion, there is sufficient room for improvement once the FIA ​​can take this opportunity to modify its operations and the application of rules. sanctions,” he explained.

“For the rest, we don't want to comment. We trust the FIA ​​and its decisions, as to when someone is assigned to a certain role – that's the FIA's job.”

“For us, we said that we hope that this is a case to be reviewed but we do not want to comment on the changes of race director. We do not have elements to judge that, so we just trust to the institution that is there to make this type of decision work,” he said.

McLaren wasn't the only one to question the FIA's draconian sanctions on the racewhich included a drive-through penalty for Lewis Hamilton for speeding behind the safety car in the pit lane.

The director of Mercedes, Toto Wolffhe said to Sky: “The sanctions were brutal, especially for McLaren, and could cost them the championship. I don't know what the infraction was, but the most important thing is that there is consistency. If the race director comes and “has a firm position, it's good, always and when everyone knows that it is a difficult position and that it must always be respected,” he concluded.

The best photos from Sunday's race at the 2024 Qatar F1 GP

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