Perez frustrated to have ‘paid the price for FIA not policing track limits better’

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In the round-up: Sergio Perez says he “paid the price” for the FIA failing to delete his illegal lap time after he breached track limits in Friday’s qualifying

In brief

Perez frustrated to have ‘paid the price for FIA not policing track limits better’

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez says his Austrian Grand Prix weekend been compromised by the FIA stewards failing to delete his illegal lap time from the end of Q2 during qualifying.

Perez exceeded track limits at turn eight during his final and quickest lap in Q2 during Friday’s qualifying session. He was originally advanced into Q3 and competed in the session, before the stewards retroactively deleted his best Q2 time and all times set in Q3, dropping him from fourth on the sprint race grid to 13th.

After he climbed back up to claim fifth on the grid during the sprint race, Perez said he feels his penalty was made more severe due to the unnecessary running he completed in Q3.

“I think I definitely did something wrong, but also I think I paid the price from the FIA not being able to police it better,” Perez said.

“I got a harsher penalty than I should because I wasted all my tyres in Q3, risking it all. But anyway, it’s all in the past. We’re seeing a bit of inconsistency throughout, so hopefully we’re able to get back some rhythm and work together with the FIA.”

Teams cleared after formation lap radio investigation

Six teams were cleared by Austrian Grand Prix stewards after they were investigated for breaching team radio rules during the second formation lap of the sprint race.

After the extra formation lap was called after Zhou Guanyu failed to line up on the grid with a problem, seven drivers – George Russell, Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon, Mick Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel – were given instructions around using their pit speed limiters as the grid set off, prompting an investigation for breaching F1’s rule for driving “alone and unaided”.

After speaking with team managers for all six teams, the stewards determined the instructions were permitted under the regulations and took no further action.

Gasly hoping to get out of turn one unscathed after back-to-back crashes

Pierre Gasly says he is hoping to get through the first corner of the Austrian Grand Prix “with the car as it started” after consecutive first corner clashes.

After making contact with George Russell and Zhou Guanyu at the start of last weekend’s British Grand Prix which triggered a horrific accident, Gasly was sent spinning at turn one of Saturday’s sprint race after contact with Lewis Hamilton. He was able to continue and finish in 15th, but later said that the floor on his AlphaTauri was “really broken and hanging” after the clash.

“I didn’t really know where I was going and I tried to turn the car and spin it as fast as I could, but it all goes really, really fast and clearly these sprint races are not playing in our favour,” said Gasly, who has yet to finish a sprint race in a points position following several accidents.

He said his plan for the Austrian Grand Prix was “First, try to make the first corner and get out with the car as it started. And then after, we’ll see.

“It’s going to be a long race and today with the damage it was very tricky. So we need to see what we can do better,” Pierre continued, summarising his Saturday as “clearly, not a great day.”

Yeany withdraws from Formula 3 round after breaking wrist

Hunter Yeany has withdrawn from the Austrian F3 round after a collision at turn three in the sprint left him with a broken wrist.

Yeany was able to finish the race but subsequent medical examinations confirmed the break, meaning he will not participate in today’s feature race.

In a message posted to social media, Yeany said he would be returning to the United States for treatment. “Unfortunately I broke my wrist during the race today. I finished the race but the X-rays confirmed what I already knew.

“I’ll head home to get it fixed and I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

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Comment of the day

Alexander Albon was unhappy after being hit with a time penalty for forcing Lando Norris off the track at turn three in the sprint race, but @apostle believes that such a penalty should be handed out more regularly…

The problem isn’t penalising Albon, it’s not penalising other instances of these events. I’ve never understood why it’s considered acceptable to run another driver out of road if they’re on the outside, it’s quite literally outlawed.
Apostle

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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14 comments on “Perez frustrated to have ‘paid the price for FIA not policing track limits better’”

  1. Re COTD I believe in a recent update of the sporting regulations drivers are allowed to run a car off the track as long as it’s not in front at the apex. I think this is a stupid change and opens up a can of worms as far as driver behaviour is concerned. I’m wondering what happens if the driver on the outside stands his ground and they come together?

    1. The F1 ‘overtaking guidelines’ are not in the actual rules and random stuff said by the race director can’t take priority over the FIA-wide regulations that all participants must agree to follow whenever they enter a series.

      F1 would be a lot better off if they got rid of all the Whiting/Masi-era ‘rules’ that aren’t actually rules and just stuck with the written down FIA regulations. Whether that’s crowding people off, breaking track limits, or ignoring proper observance of yellow flags. It would make it a lot easier for the stewards to be consistent, too.

  2. It was always deemed acceptable and just a part of racing to squeeze another car on the outside of the exit of a corner as the thought process traditionally was that a driver trying to go around the outside knew that placing there car on the outside put them at risk of been squeezed out.

    You used to see less of these things in years past as when you used to have higher kerbs and grass/gravel right behind it on corner exits drivers looking around the outside used to back out far sooner when the gap started to close.

    With the modern flatter kerbs with tarmac runoff behind them drivers tend to try and hold on longer which sees them run off track.

    It used to considered racing. Car placement was important and drivers had to be smart where they stuck there noseand think about where they were going to end up if they tried to stay there.

    Now you can just run off and cry to the stewards thanks to the unpunishing runoffs and anti-racing over regulations.

    1. I think something that has changed in the drs era is how its watered down the outside pass.

      Trying to look at an outside pass used to be considered brave and risky (in part due to risk of been squeezed on the exit) and seeing one pulled off successfully was more of a ‘wow’ moment.

      Now cars behind get so much of a speed boost with drs that passing on the ouside has become so common that its no longer as exciting to see as it once was.

      1. I think you make a good point: DRS makes this more of an issue.
        Without DRS cars would have a more similar closing speed, thus arriving at the corner side by side. In such a case it makes sense to always require a full car’s width.

        With DRS we see more last moment placing a car on either side in a more opportunistic move. In these cases it isn’t always as clear cut as who’s right and who’s wrong.

  3. Teams cleared after formation lap radio investigation

    Why?
    It’s supposed to be radio silence from pit to car.

    Or is it okay if everyone does it…?

    1. the stewards determined the instructions were permitted under the regulations

      I haven’t checked the rulebook though.

  4. The issue isn’t FIA not policing better, but redundantly policing corners with gravel, grass, or other deterrents that make going off automatically slower than staying on track.

    Wurz seems to have been unnecessarily obsessed with sausage curbs recently, more than before.

    Very noticeable tyre mark on the old helmet.

    The so-called original logo looks exactly the same.

    I couldn’t agree more with COTD.

    1. Why do you think that enforcing rules inconsistently is a better approach, @jerejj?
      It should make no difference whether there is tarmac, grass, gravel, walls or a cliff beyond the white line as far as racing rules go.
      If they are out there, they are not on the track.

      Just imagine a ‘lap’ of Paul Ricard without track limits….

      1. Reductio ad absurdum a donut on the finishing line is a lap without track limits.

        1. Indeed it could be.
          Exactly why there needs to be clear rules and firm enforcement at all times.

    2. Wurz seems to have been unnecessarily obsessed with sausage curbs recently, more than before.

      I always mispronounce his name as ‘Wurst’ ;)

  5. Re: COTD, I don’t mind what way they go with penalising or not. They just need to be consistent! Whatever is decided, ut needs to be applied evenly within F1 and within junior categories. F2 drivers were constantly driving each other off the track and no penalties were given.

    I haven’t seen any indication that things have improved since replacing Massi and may have deteriorated instead??

    Additionally, Perez should have known immediately if his lap was deleted. There’s no excuse for not having the technology implemented to do this automatically, it’s pretty straight forward image processing. If they don’t have the means to analyse track limits in a timely manner, maybe they shouldn’t be doing it? Based on the number of laps completed in qualifying vs the race, it could be hours after the race before finishing positions are confirmed… As well, it cost Perez extra engine wear & tyres and the P11 sitter a chance to improve. This can’t be acceptable at this level of sport.

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