Audi takes issue with the FIA race stewards’ decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda for allegedly causing an extra formation lap in the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix
Can I just say that the fact I didn’t know whether it would be a penalty or not before the end of the race is absolutely horrible. Would it be so hard to only allow investigations after the race if it won’t lead to time penalties (so team fines or other things that do not affect the race) or if no driver(s) involved in an incident are still in the race?
Can I just say that the fact I didn’t know whether it would be a penalty or not before the end of the race is absolutely horrible.
There was no race start at that moment, so Tsunoda isn’t at fault for a false start. There is nothing to appeal and this will be swatted away.
Yeah, but that’s not what I was talking about. Instead of looking at it and saying “no further investigation” because there was nothing to it, they decided to go the “investigated after the race” route, which is what I’m complaining about. It’s not this specific instance, but every instance of this happening while the driver(s) in question is still in the race that’s the problem.
Sadly that’s how appeals work. Even if the appeal would be started mid race you probably couldn’t get it done before the race was over because this is one of those cases where the rules are so precise you need to get down into the specific to figure out if anything there even is anything to penalize. Even Audi isn’t 100% sure they have a case because at the moment of the article it’s not a formal appeal, they’re signaling an intent to appeal so they’d have time to go over the rules and make a case.
Unless Audi finds some niche interpretation of the rules I don’t think Tsunoda gets a penalty because from what I’ve read so far Tsunoda acted in accordance with the rules. Most likely what we’ll see is an addition to the rules regarding the starting angle of the car within the grid box so there would be a clear interpretation of the rules if it were to happen again.
Well, the appeal is basically irrelevant to my complaint, though I can understand how you would think I was including that in my comment by what the main post is about. My actual point was that they just decided not to look at the incident during the race at all while the driver in question was still in the race, and could’ve ended up with a result altering penalty hours after the race was done.
If you want a decision to be made within the duration of the race that decision was made. The decision was that no rules were broken and as such no penalty was given. That decision is what Audi is trying to appeal.
The decision as far as I’m aware was that it would be investigated after the race, unless I missed the correction after that.
I don’t remember there being any official FIA message about Tsunoda. I skimmed the first few laps after the restart but didn’t notice any. Could you find me around what laps that might’ve been? I know the commentators on F1TV discussed a potential penalty, but that’s not the FIA.
“Investigation after race” pop-up at end of lap 11
My bad. That was such a short notice I completely missed it.
As much as I want Audi to score points, I don’t see a good reason for the appeal to succeed.
While he was indeed not in the best position on the grid slot, he was correctly parked within it; it seems it was the race director who wasn’t comfortable with Yuki’s position and ordered the extra formation lap, so they didn’t blame it on the team or driver.
Also, please don’t let this shit become another Monaco podium situation.
Hey, I love Formula 1, but if the Nascar fans had seen this headline they’d shove you nerds in a locker.
