McLaren has filed a protest regarding the results of the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix qualification. The issue revolves around a lap invalidated for their driver Oscar Piastri during Q3.
The Australian driver finished seventh, but his best time was cancelled due to an alleged track limit violation at turn six – something that also happened to four other drivers. Piastri clocked a time of 1m04.786s on that lap, a time that would have placed him third right behind his teammate Lando Norris.
In light of this, McLaren has decided to lodge a formal protest, confirmed by the FIA. Quoted by the website PlanetF1.com, team principal Andrea Stella explained the decision:
– We have filed a protest, which has been acknowledged, but there has been no action yet. Because we want to have the possibility to continue the conversation. Our approach to racing is that we don’t want what we don’t deserve. But when the penalty is so severe, then, in the interest of the sport, not McLaren’s interest. There is a need for clear evidence. We have taken the formal next step. I think if there hasn’t been any action in terms of follow-up and hearing for the protest, maybe there is some ongoing discussion – I can’t say. The ball is not in our court now’.
According to the Italian, the main idea of the Woking training is to obtain clarification and evidence about the infraction, defending: ‘I cannot say that beyond reasonable doubt I am satisfied. There are some principles. One is that the system used needs to have the appropriate resolution and the second is that the methodology used for one car needs to be applicable to all cars. If you use a helicopter view for one car, you need to use the helicopter view, and it needs to be available for all cars. We usually support the FIA a lot, always recognizing that everyone is doing their best. But in this case, we cannot agree that the car is beyond the track limits beyond any reasonable doubt, and satisfying the two conditions I mentioned before, so the discussion is still ongoing’.
