The FIA gave a clear explanation on the reason why a protest of Red Bull against George Russell of Mercedes after the rejection of the Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen finished fourth at the Miami international autodrome, a place and 2,312 behind Russell. A virtual safety car had compromised the offer of the quadruple F1 champion for a podium behind the dominant duo McLaren of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
However, Red Bull sought to promote Verstappen in third row by organizing a protest against Russell for not having reduced his speed during a period of yellow flag at one point during the race. Verstappen had a radio to suggest as such.
Red Bull hinted at the end of the race he would take measures against Russell when he ordered Verstappen to try to stay within five seconds of the British driver. A five -second penalty would have demoted Russell behind Verstappen.
During the protest hearing, Red Bull said that although Russell raised the accelerator when the yellow flag was displayed, it did not reduce the speed, which does not comply with the requirements of article 26.1 a) of the FIA sport regulations.
The rule stipulates that in a period of yellow flag at a single height, “any driver passing through a marshal with corrugated yellow flag must reduce his speed and be ready to change direction.
“In order for the stewards to be convinced that such a driver has respected these requirements, they should have slowed down earlier and / or a reducedly reduced speed in the relevant marshalling sector.”
Red Bull suggested that “reduced speed discernible” should be interpreted as passing the yellow flag area at an absolute speed lower than the speed before entering the area of the yellow flag.
Mercedes argued that the current practice accepted by all the teams and the FIA was, and is always, that the lifting of the accelerator in an area of yellow flag is considered an appropriate reaction, as Russell realized. The team also suggested that Russell had raised more than Verstappen had observed.
In response, the commissioners concluded that, from images on board and the telemetry of Russell’s car, it was obvious that he had “raised the accelerator when he passed into the yellow flag area. The acceleration had been lifted about 25%, which resulted in a couple reduction of around 30%.”
In addition, a declaration has added the relevant article in sports regulations “requires that the driver had a” discernible reduced speed “in a yellow flag area, but does not specify if this means reducing absolute speed or reducing speed compared to the ordinary racing speed in the relevant part of the track.
“The speed of the car 63 (Russell) in the yellow flag area was considerably slower than the ordinary racing speed, but the absolute speed crossing the yellow flag area has increased slightly.
“The commissioners determine that the requirement of article 26.1 a) concerning the reduction of speed in a yellow flag area can only relate to a reduction compared to the regular racing speed, because the reduction in absolute speed can, depending on the part of the track in which the yellow flag is displayed, represents compliance or non-compliance with the regulations and a reduction in the relative speed which always signals that the driver has accelerated.
“For example, in a braking area, absolute speed can be reduced without necessarily complying with regulations.”
On this basis, the demonstration has been rejected, the € 2,000 repository by Red Bull for the launch of the lost demonstration.
