The McLaren team protested the result of the qualifying session of the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix considering that Oscar Piastri’s penalty for exceeding track limits could not be proven. The Australian lost his third place on the starting grid due to He went off in turn six during his last attempt in Q3 at the Red Bull Ringbut after the Australian questioned whether he went long, his team entered into dialogue with the FIA to better understand the ruling and, in particular, asked to see clear evidence that he crossed the white line that defines the edge of the track.
However, after the team manager, Andrea Stellasaying that the international federation could not provide clear images proving that Oscar Piastri exceeded the track limits, McLaren decided to lodge an official protest.
“We made a protest, which has been acknowledged, but it has not yet been carried out, because we want to have the possibility to continue the conversation,” he said. “Our approach to racing is that we don’t want what we don’t deserve, but when the sanction is so harsh, then in the interest of the sport, not in the interest of McLaren, there has to be clear evidence.”
The Italian said that the images shown to them, according to the FIA, They made it look like their pilot was outside the white line, but they were not clear enough. to be absolutely certain that the Australian had broken the rules: “We sought clarification in particular because we wanted to see evidence that the car was beyond the track limits beyond any reasonable doubt.”
“I can’t say that beyond a reasonable doubt it is satisfied,” commented Andrea Stella. “There are a couple of principles. One is that the system used has to have an adequate resolution, and the second is that the methodology used for one car has to be applicable to all cars – if you use a helicopter view for one car, you have to use the helicopter view and it has to be available to all.”
“Normally we support the FIA, we always recognize that everyone is trying their best, but, in this case, we could not agree that the car is beyond the track limit beyond any reasonable doubt, and satisfying the two conditions that I said before, so the discussion is still ongoing,” he explained.
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