The FIA rejected the protest made by Ferrari against the Red Bull duo of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen for F1 Monaco GP pit exit breach.
The incident took place when Red Bull changed to hard tyres during the F1 Monaco GP where the world feed showed Verstappen’s case at the pit exit but Perez’s was not whose incident was noted by the FIA – although it was not put under investigation.
With the race done where Perez won from Carlos Sainz and Verstappen ending up third, Ferrari filed in a protest with the FIA to check on the same. The hearing took place after the grand prix with Jonathan Wheatley, Inaki Rueda and Eduardo Freitas in presence.
The hearing regarding Perez was dismissed straight up after Ferrari conceded that the Mexican did not even cross the yellow line. But for Verstappen, the team noted that he put part of his front left and rear tyres on the left side of the yellow line.
They brought up the case of Yuki Tsunoda from Austria 2021, but the FIA noted that Verstappen did not have all of its tyres left of the yellow line but only marginally which isn’t enough to result in a penalty, as Lance Stroll did the same in the grand prix.
This is why the protest for Verstappen was dismissed too – here’s the full explanation:
Procedure:
1. On May 29, 2022 following the publication of the Provisional Classification for the Grand Prix of Monaco, counting towards the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship, Scuderia Ferrari lodged a protest against Car 1 (the “car”), entered by Oracle Red Bull Racing Team. Ferrari claimed in its protest that the car failed to keep to the right of the solid yellow line at the pit exit when leaving the pits and therefore failed to comply with Section 11.1 of the Race Director’s Event Notes and therefore breached Article 16.1 of the 2022 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations as well as Chapter IV Section 5 of Appendix L of the FIA International Sporting Code.
The parties were summoned and heard. The following persons were present during the hearing; On behalf of Red Bull: Jonathan Wheatley; On behalf of Ferrari: Inaki Rueda; On behalf of the FIA Sporting Department: Eduardo Freitas
2. At the hearing there were no objections against the composition of the Stewards panel.
3. It was agreed by all parties that should both protests lodged by Ferrari be admitted, and then these could be heard concurrently as they involved the same type of incident and the same principles.
4. At the hearing, the parties referred to the documents submitted. None of the parties submitted further evidence or initiated the hearing of additional persons or conducting further investigations.
On Admissibility
The Stewards FIND that the Protest is admissible and that the requirements of the Code have been complied with.
The Hearing of the Protest then proceeded.
The claims of Ferrari:
That on the exit from the pits on lap 23, Car 1 put part of its left front and rear tyres on the tarmac on the LEFT side of the yellow line. That this was in breach of the Race Director’s Event Notes (“Notes”). That similar actions (for example Tsunoda in Austria 2021) resulted in a penalty being applied. That the Notes indicate to the teams how they are to act and the teams abide by them even if they are in contradiction to the ISC.
Red Bull’s arguments in defence:
That car 1 was still to the right of the yellow line. That in any case, there was no breach of the International Sporting Code.
The Race Director stated:
That Article 5 of Appendix L of the ISC had changed from 2021 to 2022. That the Notes were a “cut and paste” from the 2021 version of the Notes and hence had not been changed to reflect the 2022 Appendix L changes.
Stipulation:
All parties agreed that Car 1 did have part of its front left and rear left tyre on the left side of the yellow line. All parties agreed that most of the left front and left rear tyres of that car remained on the yellow line.
Conclusions of the Stewards:
Having considered the various statements made by the parties, and having reviewed the case of Car 18 in the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, which involved a similar situation to this, the Stewards determine the following:
1. Article 2.1 of the 2022 Formula One Sporting Regulations provides that “All officials..undertake to observe all the provisions of …the Code, …..the Formula One Sporting Regulations…”.
2. This places an obligation on the Race Director (and the Stewards) to comply with those regulations.
3. Accordingly, the Notesissued by the Race Director cannot contradict the Code or the Formula One Sporting Regulations
4. Article 5 c) of Chapter IV of Appendix L of the Code stipulates that at the pit exit a car “must not cross” the line.
5. In this case, the car did not “cross” the line – to do so it would have needed to have a full wheel to the left of the yellow line.
6. Accordingly the driver did not breach the relevant section of the Code and this takes precedent over any interpretation of the Notes.
The Protest is therefore dismissed and the Protest Fee is forfeited.
Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.
For Car 11:
At the hearing Ferrari conceded that Car 11 did not have any part of its front or rear tyres on the left of the yellow line and conceded that the Protest was unfounded.
Here’s about Sergio Perez: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2022%20Monaco%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Decision%20-%20Protest%20lodged%20against%20Car%2011.pdf
More to come