F1 News: Haas Chief Calls For FIA To "Take Action" After Supplying Evidence For Austin GP Infringements
Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner confirmed the submission of evidence to the FIA pointing to rivals' track limits violations. Steiner expressed his expectation for the FIA to take appropriate action based on the team's findings.
Key Takeaways:
- The Haas Formula 1 team has lodged a formal request for a review of track limit breaches by competitors at the U.S. Grand Prix, providing "clear evidence" of the incidents.
- Haas claims to have evidence of drivers from Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Williams, including Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, and Lance Stroll exceeding track limits.
- Guenther Steiner emphasises the importance of adhering to the rules of the sport, despite his personal disdain for penalties related to track limits, underscoring the necessity of consistent rule enforcement.
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Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner's statement sheds light on a potentially critical issue that could influence the interpretation of racing rules going forward.
Haas has provided what they describe as "clear evidence" to support their claims of track limit breaches by other teams. This move has prompted the FIA to summon representatives from Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Williams to a hearing. The outcome of this review could potentially have repercussions for the drivers involved, particularly if the infractions are found to have affected race outcomes.
Steiner has been vocal about his stance, emphasising the need for rules to be upheld for the sake of the sport's integrity. His comments to Autosport leave no ambiguity regarding his position on the matter:
"It's just a review," Steiner stated. "There's a regulation in place. I mean, in the end, if the stewards didn't have the information, obviously they couldn't take action. I fully understand that. But there is information, and now we'll see what the FIA does, once they get the information. I think they need to take action, because otherwise we make rules and then don't do anything about it. That's my opinion."
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Although the Haas team does not anticipate a change in their standings as a result of any potential penalties issued, the principle of the matter appears to take precedence for Steiner.
"I don't think the penalty will make a difference to us where we are, at the moment," he added. "But in the end, we just need to go by the rules, we cannot sometimes apply the rule, and sometimes not.
"It's not by choice, a rule is there, and if you need to change the rule, let's discuss it, if you need to change track limits, discuss it. But not if it is written that it is four times you get five seconds and any consequent [offences] you get another five seconds, that's what we should be doing. Like we did before. It's not that we're inventing something new."
It's clear that the Haas F1 team seeks not just a retrospective penalty for the sake of points but also a future where the rules are more than mere guidelines — they're the definitive parameters that shape fair play.
The FIA's response to Haas' evidence will be closely monitored by teams and fans, as it could set a precedent for how track limit breaches are dealt with in the future.