F1: Haas protest of USGP results REJECTED (2nd Update)

Austin stewards ruled after video hearing that the evidence Haas presented to them over alleged track limits from the October 22 race did not constitute a “significant and relevant new element”.

While dismissing the team’s challenge on the grounds that the evidence submitted did not meet the required criteria for a successful right of review challenge, Austin stewards described the current situation over monitoring track limits in F1 as “completely unsatisfactory” and have called for changes to be made before the start of the 2024 season.

The stewards say they “strongly recommend to all concerned that a solution to prevent further reoccurrences of this widespread problem be rapidly deployed”.

“Track limit infringements are almost universally enforced based on principal video evidence from a fixed CCTV camera of adequate resolution positioned to clearly see a car’s position in relation to the track limit boundary.

“The CCTV camera for Turn 6 did not meet that standard as it did not cover the apex of the corner. Because onboard cameras are only useful for verifying a breach when viewing a car in front of the camera car and not the camera car itself, the Stewards believed they could not accurately and consistently conclude whether a breach occurred for every car on every lap.

“Anecdotal usage of trailing car video, which may or may not be available for any given car’s potential breach at any given time does not meet that accurate and consistent evidence standard.”

The evidence from Sargeant, Perez and Stroll’s cars was deemed to have met none of the criteria to proceed with the right of review.

The FIA has officially summoned four Formula 1 teams, including Haas, Williams, Aston Martin, and Red Bull Racing, to a hearing concerning alleged rule breaches.

This comes after a Right of Review petition was submitted by Haas on November 3, 2023, relating to the decisions of the Stewards at the 2023 United States Grand Prix.

The alleged breaches pertain to specific sections of the International Sporting Code, specifically Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2c, and Article 33.3 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations concerning Williams driver Alex Albon and the Final Classification.

As part of the hearing process, the team representatives are required to report to the Stewards on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 15:00 hrs CET (14:00 GMT).

This hearing will be conducted virtually via video conference, with specific details provided separately. Additionally, any other concerned party may seek permission from the Stewards to appear during the hearing.

The hearing will be conducted in two parts. The first part will focus on hearing evidence related to the existence of a “significant and relevant new element,” which must have been unavailable to the party seeking the review at the time of the original decision.

In accordance with Article 14.3 of the FIA International Sporting Code, if such an element is determined to exist by the Stewards, a second part of the hearing will be convened at a later time.

(GMM) Dead-last Haas is bidding to totally shake up the results of the recent USGP in Austin – amid a frantic battle for millions in official F1 prize money.

At Interlagos, the small American team is still struggling badly with the performance of its new ‘B’ car – which made its debut in Austin.

“We have tire degradation, and it seems like we just can’t get it under control,” team boss Gunther Steiner admitted.

But what Haas may have more control of is putting a bomb underneath the Austin race classification – where Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen failed to score a point.

‘Track limits’ has been a big issue recently, but Haas believes the FIA missed a huge amount of white line violations that should now be retrospectively penalized – and could pull the team out of its dead-last place in the lucrative constructors’ championship.

Haas believes it was a lack of camera footage, especially at turn 6, that caused the race directors to fail to notice literally dozens of track limits infractions.

The team has now done its own full review of all the onboard camera footage from all of the cars up and down the grid, and put together a 28-page dossier.

“(Alex) Albon,” who finished ninth in the US GP, “could be facing 15 five-second penalties,” Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt claims.

The other Williams of Logan Sargeant apparently crossed the white line three times, while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez may have been subject to a whopping 18 five-second penalties that Haas now wants applied retrospectively.

Lance Stroll was another repeat track limits offenders, with a reported 16 potential five-second penalties.

“If Haas’ objection is upheld, the classification would have to be completely rewritten,” Schmidt said. “Hulkenberg would move up four positions and suddenly be seventh instead of eleventh.”

Haas, currently dead last in the constructors’ championship, officially requested the ‘right of review’ in a letter to the FIA, leaving it in the hands of the FIA’s lawyers who want several days to look at the dossier.