In light of Haas’s formal request for a review of the 2023 US Grand Prix results, the FIA will hold a meeting with representatives from Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Williams to review incidents from the race.
In the aftermath of the US Grand Prix, the Haas F1 Team has exercised their right to request a review of the race’s results, prompting the FIA to call in teams Red Bull, Aston Martin, Williams, and Haas for a meeting with the stewards the Wednesday, November 8th.
Scheduled to be conducted virtually via video conference, the hearing will take place at 3 p.m. CET. Team representatives from the involved parties are required to attend, and others with vested interests may participate pending steward approval.
Haas seeks review over US GP Results citing track limits controversy
Following unsatisfactory race outcomes in their home event, where Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen placed 11th and 14th, Haas has submitted a request to re-evaluate the race standings, pointing to unpenalized track limit violations that occurred during the race.
The 2023 season has seen its fair share of track limit enforcement challenges for stewards, with circuits such as Austria and Qatar presenting difficulties due to their expansive tarmac run-off zones. However, enforcement seemed less stringent at the US Grand Prix, as post-race evidence showed several instances where drivers crossed the definitive white lines or extended beyond track limits at certain turns.
The implicated drivers include Williams’ Alex Albon, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Currently, official documents from the FIA specifically mention Albon’s vehicle despite the issuance of summons to all four teams in question.
The basis for Haas’s appeal lies within the FIA’s International Sporting Code, particularly Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 (c), which reads:
“Drivers must use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.”
It also references Article 33.3 of the 2023 FIA F1 Sporting Regulations, which echoes a similar sentiment about the use of the track and the definition of its edges.
“Drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason.
“Drivers will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with it and, for the avoidance of doubt, any white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.”
Is Haas targeting a Post-Race time penalty for Albon to score points?
The upcoming hearing will consist of two segments: the initial phase will assess if there is “significant and relevant new element which was unavailable to the party seeking the Review at the time of the Decision concerned.” If the stewards acknowledge the presence of new evidence supporting Haas’s claim, the review will proceed to a second phase, further scrutinising the US Grand Prix’s final results.
Given the emergence of video footage showing drivers exceeding track boundaries without consequence, Haas may have substantial grounds for their case. Yet, considering the considerable gap between Perez, Stroll, and Haas’s vehicles, their attention is likely focused on Albon, who finished just 3.2 seconds ahead of Hulkenberg.
The imposition of a five-second penalty on Albon could be pivotal, potentially dropping him from the points and awarding a point to Hulkenberg. With Haas chasing Alfa Romeo for the ninth spot in the Constructors’ Championship and two racing weekends left, securing every possible point is crucial. Haas is behind with 12 points to Alfa Romeo’s 16.
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