The FIA’s resolution to exchange one in every of its 4 drivers’ advisers to the stewards has put the highlight again on the standard of the selections they make.
Stewarding is at all times going to be contentious and lots of high-profile calls have been disputed as Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’s championship struggle intensified. However a few of the extra debatable choices made throughout the course of 2024 concerned drivers combating additional down the sector – and one occured earlier than the race weekend even began!
The stewards issued a whole lot of selections over the course of 2024, and whereas many have been simple calls, these 10 rulings have been notable for being too harsh or too lenient:
Chinese language Grand Prix dash race: Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso made a valiant defence of his third place within the dash race on the Chinese language Grand Prix. However with 4 laps to go Carlos Sainz Jnr lastly bought him, sweeping by on the within of the lengthy flip eight, regardless of the Aston Martin driver making contact on the way in which in.
The pair made contact once more when Alonso tried a lunge on the within of the next nook. That left him with a race-ending puncture and Sainz’s automotive was broken, leaving him fifth. Alonso was at fault however his penalty outweighed the seriousness of the error. It was by far the mildest incident which earned a driver three penalty factors on their licence.
Chinese language Grand Prix: Logan Sargeant
The next day Logan Sargeant obtained an excessively extreme punishment for a minor error. He incorrectly took up a place forward of Nico Hulkenberg behind the Security Automobile after reaching the pit lane exit after the Haas driver.
From behind the wheel, Sargeant was poorly positioned to know whether or not he had dedicated any infringement, and his staff did not advise him. Two penalty factors for that appeared extreme, notably as Lance Stroll obtained the identical for crashing into Daniel Ricciardo whereas the sector was neutralised, hitting the RB so arduous it struck into Oscar Piastri’s McLaren forward of it.
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Miami Grand Prix dash race: Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton was lucky to keep away from a penalty after triggering a multi-car incident which put Lando Norris out of the Miami Grand Prix dash race on the primary lap. The Mercedes driver made a lunge for the within of flip one and ran barely large, forcing the 2 Aston Martin drivers collectively and in the end into Norris.
Though the stewards routinely take a gentle line on flip one incidents, this was arduous to justify within the case of Hamilton, who had clearly over-committed himself on this event. A gentle sanction was deserved.
Spanish Grand Prix ultimate observe: Charles Leclerc
Acts of retribution are uncommon in System 1, particularly outdoors aggressive periods, so it was a shock to see Charles Leclerc swerving his automotive in the direction of and into Norris’s after the McLaren driver briefly held him up in observe on the Circuit de Catalunya. Though it was utterly out of character for Leclerc, drivers utilizing their automobiles as weapons should at all times draw a stiff response, and this deserved a grid drop as an alternative of a reprimand.
Austrian Grand Prix qualifying: Oscar Piastri
This can be a controversial one. Footage of Piastri’s line at flip six throughout qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix indicated he had ventured past monitor limits and his time was subsequently disqualified, costing him a entrance row begin.
Nonetheless the identical footage was not out there for all different automobiles on their qualifying laps. Beforehand the FIA has refused to penalise drivers when that’s the case, as within the 2023 United States Grand Prix. McLaren justifiably felt aggrieved that Piastri was penalised in a fashion which appeared to contradict a current precedent.
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Austrian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen
Verstappen’s defensive strikes grew to become more and more borderline when he got here beneath stress for the lead of the Austrian Grand Prix from Norris. However the stewards took no motion and the pair ultimately collided.
Later the FIA admitted Verstappen’s driving had been enough to earn him an official warning, by way of a black-and-white ‘unsporting conduct’ flag. Had this been proven on the proper time, this vital early second within the championship struggle might need ended in another way.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Sergio Perez
Two F1 automobiles being pushed alongside a straight shouldn’t hit one another. Sainz was forward and, because the stewards famous, on his traditional line. Perez, behind, was the one driver with full sight of the opposite automotive and brought on the collision. The shortage of a penalty was a thriller.
Singapore Grand Prix: Max Verstappen
Verstappen’s penalty for swearing throughout an FIA press convention grew to become a saga which continues to rumble on. If the FIA want to implement a ban on swearing of their conferences, that isn’t unreasonable, however there was a putting absence of consistency.
Workforce bosses Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur have been warned for swearing in an FIA press convention in Las Vegas in 2023. Leclerc swore within the post-race press convention in Monaco and bought nothing. Verstappen was sentenced to “public work” for his feedback in Singapore. Leclerc swore in Mexico and copped a tremendous, however when Norris did the identical in Qatar nobody appeared to care.
Maybe a swear jar subsequent to the press convention couch could be a fast and simple repair?
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Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen
Verstappen copped two penalties within the area of 4 corners as he fought Norris throughout the Mexican Grand Prix. Though each obtained 10-second penalties they have been fairly totally different incidents, and the stewards assessed the primary one appropriately, as Verstappen clearly illegitimately compelled Norris off whereas he was being overtaken.
The second was totally different: Verstappen got here from a ridiculous distance again at a high-speed nook the place he by no means stood an opportunity of constructing a respectable move stick. Norris needed to take evasive motion to forestall a collision, shedding a spot each to the Purple Bull and Leclerc’s Ferrari as they did so, which was clearly Verstappen’s intention.
Naively, the stewards dominated Verstappen left the monitor and “incidently [sic] forcing Norris off”. In addition to the leniency of a 10-second penalty for such a cynical transfer, the absence of any penalty factors made this one of many weakest calls of the season.
Mexican Grand Prix: Franco Colapinto
Throughout the identical race, Franco Colapinto picked up a surprisingly harsh penalty for a minor conflict with Liam Lawson. The Williams driver went across the outdoors of the RB at flip one and was compelled large, however remained alongside his rival in flip two. They squeezed by way of, however Lawson’s entrance wing made contact with Colapinto’s right-rear wheel as he handed.
The stewards claimed Lawson left Colapinto sufficient room to remain on the monitor, however footage of the incident confirmed this was not the case. Colapinto had earned the precise to area and if any driver deserved a penalty for the alternate it was Lawson.
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The tough-but-fair calls of 2024
F1’s stewards have an unenviable job. Regardless of the accusations of followers and a few drivers, they do try to make choices which might be truthful, neutral and constant. Nonetheless they’re wielding a fancy rule e-book at drivers who by no means move up a possibility to assert a bonus over a rival.
There have been different events final yr when the stewards made calls which, regardless of the controversies they provoked, have been affordable.
One of many clearest examples occured in Australia when Alonso carried out a weird transfer whereas attempting to forestall George Russell from closing inside DRS vary of him. Had they not taken motion in opposition to this unprecedented manoeuvre it could absolutely have spawned imitators with doubtlessly harmful penalties, given the crash Russell suffered in consequence. The stewards have been proper to leap on it and a 20-second time penalty was the minimal it deserved.
McLaren fumed over the stewards’ penalty for Norris in the USA Grand Prix when he handed Verstappen off the monitor. Nonetheless the stewards adhered to the driving requirements tips which have been agreed upon beforehand (although they might change for the upcoming season).
Lastly, Verstappen was furious concerning the penalty he obtained for impeding Russell throughout qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix. This was an uncommon case, however given the precedent the stewards set the day earlier than when issuing reprimands to Perez and Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen’s one-place grid penalty was the mildest sanction he might have gotten.
Over to you
Which choices do you assume the stewards ought to have made in another way throughout final season – and the way? Share your ideas within the feedback.
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