McLaren head into the Abu Dhabi weekend with one hand on their first Formula One constructors’ trophy since 1988. However the team will be hoping for a smoother weekend than last time out in Qatar where a stewarding decision cost Lando Norris a shot at the race win.

Even had the McLaren driver remained in his second place at the chequered flag, McLaren would have outscored Ferrari potentially sealing the fate of the championship. Yet questionable decisions from the race director and then the stewards saw Norris relegated to last place following a ten second stop and go penalty for failing to slow under double waved yellows.

Norris initially accepted responsibility for the penalty in the media pen following the race. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong at the minute,” Norris told Sky Sports F1, yet the McLaren driver did not realise at the time the chaos eminating from race control.

 

 

 

Norris didn’t see the yellow flags

“Apparently I didn’t slow under the yellow. I’m not an idiot, if I knew there was a yellow, I would have slowed down. I don’t know if I’ve missed it or just been dumb, but the rule is, if you don’t slow down under the yellow that’s the penalty, so it’s a fair penalty.”

TV replays show there was indeed a yellow light brightly displayed close to the start finish line as Lando exited the final turn, yet he was punished for failing to slow under a double waved yellow which comes with a far more punitive action.

The double waved yellow being waved by a marshal is visible, if barely, from Lando;’s on board camera as he enters turn one. Of course speeding under a yellow is a no-no and Norris would have been penalised either way.

Yet the McLaren team boss is furious over the stewarding decisions suggesting in strong terms they have lost “any sense of proportion and any sense of specificity” in how they assess incidents on the track. Further the confusion in race control was evident for all to see following the wing mirror from Alex Albon’s Williams detaching itself on the front straight.

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F1 pundits slam dithering of race control

The wind mirror was off threading line near the exit to the pit lane, but this section of track was often in use as drivers made way for faster cars behind them or for overtaking as was to happen.

For lap after lap the yellow flag remained displayed and as Jenson Button remarked race control appeared to be dithering in how to handle the debris. Then came the inevitable, Valtteri Bottas moved aside to allow a Ferrari past and ran over the wing mirror sending a shroud of carbon fibre shards across the circuit and into the air.

On commentary for Sky, David Croft said despairingly, “I don’t know why that piece of debris wasn’t removed either under a safety car or a virtual safety car. It seemed far safer to do that.” Then Croft laughed at the irony of the fact race control had switched the yellow light sign off on the main straight completely folioing Bottas altercation with the wing mirror.

“There are now no yellow flags down the main straight at the moment,” he said. “That could’ve destroyed someone’s race,” reasoned Jenson Button in what was to prove to be a prophetic utterance in the case of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz. Both suffered punctures within seconds of the wing mirror exploding and were forced to limp around the circuit to pit for fresh rubber.

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Stewards hand out the biggest penalty

Croft then demanded,“the question has to be asked. Why was’t this dealt with a lot sooner?” Another lap was completed where a number of the drivers pitted for new tyres before the safety car was finally deployed almost eight minutes after the wing mirror became detached.

“Now finally we get a safety car… Thats about four laps too late,” sighed David Croft, accusing race control of dithering. Jenson Button added that: “It has destroyed two drivers races. I don’t know what they were waiting for.”

Meanwhile in race control, the stewards were studying the data from Lando Norris first lap after the wing mirror had caused yellow flags to be displayed and it was confirmed the McLaren driver did not lift at all. So because it was deemed under double waved yellows, the penalty washer more severe than had it been a single yellow flag only.

McLaren team boss Andreas Stella now vents his anger against race control and the stewarding at the 2024 Star GP. “I think it’s quite peculiar that the yellow flag was deployed and then was removed, but actually the situation in that sector was the same – there was debris on track.”

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No sense of “proportion or specificity”

He then turns to the size of the penalty issued by the stewards which when served saw Norris cycle to the rear of the field. “I think in the application of the penalty, I think we have lost any sense of proportion and any sense of specificity.

“Can we look specifically at the infringement, at the level of danger associated to the situation and in fact the yellow flag was removed, and then judge using these kinds of elements – proportion and specificity – rather than taking a look at any kind of rulebook probably full of dust on top of it, and then apply it without any sense of critical approach?” he concluded.

McLaren head into Abu Dhabi looking forward and despite the setback of losing ground to the chasing Ferrari team need just fifteen points to win the constructors’ title. Then even a win, a second place and the point for fastest lap from the Scuderia would leave them too far behind and the second oldest F1 team as champions.

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Wolff admits strategic blunder in Qatar

Mercedes’ Formula One team boss now admits his team made strategic blunders in last weekends Qatar Grand Prix which cost George Russell a podium in the race. Having qualified 0.055seconds behind a resurgent Max Verstappen, George was to inherit pole following a controversial decision by the race stewards.

The world champion was penalised for driving too slowly on a cool down lap which delivered the highly unusual punishment from the stewards of a one place grid drop for the Grand Prix. Russell allegedly pressed the stewards hard to issue Max with the penalty, something he was most vocal over when discovering his fate.

However, it was Max who prevailed following the spat as he made Russell wait along on the starting grid for what seemed like an age before Verstappen finally drew alongside him into his grid slot. As the lights went out, Max powered up the inside of the Mercedes driver taking the lead through turn one which he did not relinquish before the chequered flag fell… READ MORE