Haas boss Guenther Steiner says 'clear evidence' of US GP track limits breaches; Haas finished just outside points in Austin race, launched a right of review challenge after Williams' Alex Albon faced no further action; hearing to be heard on Wednesday, with three other teams also called
Tuesday 7 November 2023 09:49, UK
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says they have seen "clear evidence" of United States GP track limits breaches, ahead of a hearing into the issue on Wednesday.
"There's a regulation in place," Steiner told Motorsport.com. "I mean, in the end, if the stewards didn't have the information, obviously they couldn't take action. I fully understand that.
"But there is information, and now we'll see what the FIA does, once they get the information. I think they need to take action, because otherwise we make rules and then don't do anything about it. That's my opinion.
"Okay, I fully respect if they didn't see the pictures, how can they rule this for sure? But now we have clear evidence of it.
"We just want to bring the case up, because otherwise we need to change the rules. I'm not a big fan of track limits, to be honest.
"I'm the last one who wants penalties on track limits. But if there's a rule in place, we need as a sport to respect rules, that is more the principle of it, than the penalty.
"If it is written that it is four times you get five seconds and any consequent [offences] you get another five seconds, that's what we should be doing. Like we did before. It's not that we're inventing something new.
"We will make the case if we can make the case because they should hear it, because there is new evidence. So we will make the case when we get to it."
The Haas team's attempt to get United States GP stewards to open a full review into additional alleged track-limits breaches in the October 22 Austin race will be heard on Wednesday.
Representatives from Red Bull, Aston Martin and Williams have also been summoned to appear in the right of review meeting, which will take place via video call on Wednesday at 2pm UK time.
It emerged over the course of the Sao Paulo GP weekend that Haas had lodged a right of review petition into the results of the USA race.
The matter relates to what Haas believe are further track limits violations than were penalised and/or investigated by stewards in the recent race at the Circuit of the Americas. The stewards' post-race decision to take no further action against Williams' Alex Albon, who finished ninth, for alleged track limits violations at Turn Six is listed in Haas' request.
Haas' Nico Hulkenberg finished just outside the points places in 11th, three seconds behind Albon in the final classification. Drivers are usually given five-second penalties for repeat track limit offences during a race.
Haas' right of review challenge concerns two documents: the outcome of the Albon investigation and the final race classification itself.
Under the rules of a right of review request, stewards must first determine in Wednesday's hearing whether there is "significant and relevant new element" of evidence being presented that was unavailable to Haas at the time of the original decision.
Should they determine that Haas' evidence meets that criteria, then the matter would formally be re-opened and re-investigated in a second part of a hearing at a subsequent "time to be advised".
But should stewards not agree with Haas' view that the 'new' evidence presented is significant and relevant, then the team's case would be dismissed.
Albon, who finished ninth, was given a five-second penalty during the race after racking up four instances of leaving the track without justifiable reason but escaped punishment in a second investigation afterwards for alleged breaches at Turn Six.
Stewards based their decision on the following grounds:
"Based on the video footage available (which did not include CCTV), the Stewards determine, whilst there might be some indication for possible track limit infringements in Turn Six, the evidence at hand is not sufficient to accurately and consistently conclude that any breaches occurred and therefore take no further action."
Although Albon was the only driver named in the right of review case, the fact Red Bull and Aston Martin have also been called to send a representative points towards drivers from their teams also featuring as part of Haas' case.
Social media footage circulating after the Austin race appeared to show Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, running wide over the white line at points during the race. Lance Stroll was the only Aston Martin driver who finished the race, in seventh place.
Williams' Logan Sargeant also featured in the points, taking 10th ahead of Hulkenberg.
With two races of the season to go, Haas are 10th and last in the Constructors' Championship, four points behind nearest rival Alfa Romeo.
