McLaren raises concerns about Verstappen’s tactics at the Austrian GP, backed by substantial evidence.
- Andrea Stella asserts McLaren has gathered comprehensive data, including GPS and video footage, indicating Verstappen’s alleged rule break.
- The team anticipates further discussions with the FIA, emphasizing a non-personal, evidence-based approach.
- Stella highlights the importance of learning from the incident to improve future F1 regulations.
- While McLaren moves on, they seek clarification to avoid future controversies.
The Austrian Grand Prix may be behind us, but discussions about Max Verstappen’s controversial driving tactics continue to fuel the Formula 1 paddock. McLaren, through their team boss Andrea Stella, claims to have amassed substantial evidence proving Verstappen ‘definitely’ breached racing protocols during a close battle with Lando Norris. Stella’s confidence is girded by the ‘data, videos, facts, analysis, [and] GPS’ they have accumulated, which he suggests underline the need for a more discerning stewarding approach in such races.
Speaking after a practice session for the British Grand Prix, Stella conveyed his readiness to move forward while acknowledging that Norris, being at the sharp end of the controversy, desires to shift his focus to upcoming races. Stella emphasized the importance of learning from past errors and standing firm in their intent not to polarize the debate into a binary conflict but to approach it with a balanced perspective supported by data.
McLaren’s engagement with the FIA underscores their intent to seek clarity and ensure races run more smoothly with existing regulations. Stella made it clear that their goal was not to engage Red Bull directly but to converse with the authorities responsible for race management. He reiterated his respect for Verstappen and Red Bull’s achievements, stating their inquiries sought only to clear ambiguities and were satisfied with the FIA’s feedback.
While Andrea Stella stressed that the conversation around Verstappen’s driving is not an attempt to stir headline drama, McLaren’s reliance on ‘facts and data’ aims to foster clarity and fairness in the competitive landscape of Formula 1. As proceedings head into the British Grand Prix, Stella looks to leverage the lessons from Austria, championing for a more defined regulatory framework to ensure the fading of such controversies into the backdrop of exhilarating racing action.
McLaren hopes to use insights gained to enhance future F1 race rulings.
