Last Updated on November 4 2024, 12:15 pm

The 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix will live long in the memory of those who watched the event. In the dry conditions on Friday and Saturday, McLaren were by far the quickest F1 car on track, claiming pole and a 1-2 finish in the Sprint.

Just a few hours later the heavens opened right before Grand Prix qualifying which saw race control delay the start of the session several times. Then as the fading light became a concern, the decision was taken to postpone qualifying until Sunday morning.

Having studied the weather forecast for Sunday, the FIA took the decision to run qualifying earlier than scheduled at 07:30 local time meaning the teams and drivers were woken by a 04:30 alarm call. With the rain causing drivers to crash out on a regular basis, the session dragged on well past its finish time and recorded the the most red flags deployed in this current format of qualifying.

 

 

 

Norris “confused” at race start

The conditions improved for the start of the race, although this merely meant the intermediate tyres were selected for the start and not the extreme wets. As the drivers were completing the formation lap, Lance Stroll spun his car off the track and in a bizarre incident his efforts to return to the circuit the Canadian flicked his car around an into the gravel where it became beached.

As the rest of the field formed up for lights out, there was an inordinate delay before the FIA finally abandoned the start. The lights on the gantry flashed amber and so Norris and Russell headed off on what they believed to be a second formation lap taking Tsunoda and Lawson with them.

However, in the chaos Norris who triggered the rest to follow him had mistaken the notification from the FIA. There were no green lights alongside the flashing amber and the instruction was in fact to remain on the grid and wait for  new restart procedure.

The field was then instructed to follow the McLaren on one more formation lap and then to line up and wait for the ten minute restart protocol.

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Mercedes breach race start protocol

During this time the usual regulations apply which means between ten and five minutes from the lights out, the wheels can be changed and the tire pressures adjusted. However, the tyre pressures must remain within the Pirelli mandated range and any adjustment must take place with the wheels off the car.

Tyre pressures were problematic for many of the drivers as the teams had overestimated the pressures they required for the wet conditions. TV footage clearly showed the mechanics taking off the wheels from Lando Norris’s McLaren.

The same camera shots revealed Mercedes too were adjusting their tyre pressures on Russell’s car, but crucially the wheels remained attached to the car. It quickly became apparent that Mercedes had done the same with Lewis Hamilton’s W15 from a report filed by FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer.

“On the grid and when the race start was aborted, between the 10 minutes and the 5 minutes signal, on car numbers 63 and 44, the tyre pressures were adjusted (pressure released) with wheels already fitted to the car,” stated the report filed by the FIA delegate. “As this is in contradiction to TD003 N, items 2. c) and 2. h) i., I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.”

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Pit lane access denied for minutes

The stewards investigated the matter after the chequered flag and typically such a breach of the regulations would see both cars disqualified from the race. However, the stewards report reveals there was a certain amount of confusion following Norris’ second formation lap and instead the FIA officials decided to fine Mercedes €5,000 for each car.

“After the race start was aborted the 10 minute notice was immediately given for the new start,” stated the stewards’ report. Given the layout of the circuit and the access point to the grid from the pit lane the time period for the team to get to the grid was extended.”

The stewards noted the gate access from the pitlane to the track was not opened immediately which added time pressure to the teams already working in a confusing situation.

The FIA accepted from Mercedes that given the short notice of the restart and restricted access, that is was “extremely difficult if not impossible for the teams to follow the procedure prescribed in the technical directive.”

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FIA lenient but decision is not a precedent

I was also confirmed that the adjusted tyre pressures made by Mercedes were within the parameters set out by Pirelli.

“Given the unusual circumstances surrounding the compressed time table, aborted start, the grid access logistics and given the stipulation from the Technical Delegate that the tyre pressures were within the correct parametres (sic), the Stewards determine that a fine for a breach of procedure is appropriate in this case,” the statement continued.

“Normally a breach of this nature, within a competitive session would carry a sporting penalty but it is not appropriate in this case. However, this decision should not be considered as a precedent for any similar breach in the future as the circumstances are considered unique.” the stewards report concluded.

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Russell fined for ‘false start’

The exact reason why Mercedes did not remove the wheels from the car was not explained, although with McLaren doing the same but taking the wheels off suggests it was not “impossible” for the teams to comply with the pre-start procedure.

Russell was found guilty for his part in the ‘false start’ and second formation lap although the FIA officials were extremely lenient in the penalty awarded to both him and Lando Norris being a mere €5,000.

The FIA explanation was brief and informative. ”As the driver was on the front row of the grid, this triggered following drivers to take similar action. At some point, the Race Director realizing that for practical reasons all cars would now need to do an extra formation lap gave an instruction to the teams for all cars to proceed and return to the grid to follow the correct aborted start procedure.”

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Norris “just ran out of talent”

The 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend will live long in the memory of those who were privileged enough to watch it. The Interlagos circuit was home to the legendary Ayrton Senna who won there just twice in his short but glittering Formula One career.

The Brazilian was leading the race in 1991 when his McLaren developed gear box problems so with just under ten laps remaining, the maestro decided to keep his car in sixth gear to the chequered flag. Riccardo Patrese was 36 seconds back as Senna hit trouble and the Italian was suddenly four seconds a lap quicker than the race leader.

It seemed all was lost for Senna who was in his eighth F1 race at Interlagos without a win, then with three laps remaining down came the infamous Interlagos rain. The monsoon conditions saw Senna waving his arms asking for the race to be red flagged, yet he ploughed on battling with his stricken car and the torrential rain taking the chequered flag under three seconds ahead of his Williams rival… READ MORE