F1 News: Abu Dhabi GP Sparks 'Goggle-Gate' After Every Team Summoned To Stewards Over Safety Concerns
After Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, F1 was struck with 'Goggle-Gate' after an unusual post-race investigation by the FIA where all the teams were pulled up for numerous breaches of Article 34.13.
The six drivers that were investigated included championship winner Max Verstappen and seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton, Williams pair Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu. The pit crews of all the teams investigated were not wearing eye protection in pit operations during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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In addition, the managers of all ten teams had to report to the stewards, who concluded that while several breaches likely occurred, video evidence did not provide sufficient clarity.
Although no penalties were imposed on any of the teams, they were instructed to ensure that all personnel involved in pit operations have eye protection, and the rule should be adhered to by all team members in the future. The stewards provided the following statement regarding their conclusions:
“Having received reports from the Race Director and viewed video evidence, written reports from Pit Marshals and heard from each of the Team Representatives, the Stewards determine that numerous breaches of Article 34.13 appear to have occurred however the video evidence was in some cases insufficiently clear to determine where for example, a visor was open, the team member concerned may have been wearing glasses or other eye protection.
“Notwithstanding, there were numerous examples of eye protection not being used.”
Before the stewards' decision, Sky F1's pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz, who referred to it as 'goggle-gate,' clarified:
"It’s Article 34.13 and it says ‘team personnel have to wear an approved helmet and the use of appropriate eye protection is compulsory’.
“Certainly on the clip that we’ve seen from Red Bull, you can see that the chief mechanic whose giving the green light or no-go, has his visor up.
“Now Red Bull and the other teams will argue, I’m sure, that all the operational mechanics, ie the ones on the guns for wheel off and wheel on, are wearing appropriate eye protection in that they’ve got their visor down.
“Jonathan Wheatley will certainly argue that that fellow was not an operational part of the pit stop and therefore the eye protection does not apply to him.
“All the other teams are saying, ‘look, the ones who do need to have their visor down, have their visor down’.
“But it’s interesting that all of the team managers, even the ones that weren’t noted in the race, have been summoned to see the stewards,
“There will likely be a fine for those who the FIA decide were naughty, and a let-off for those who weren’t.”
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