FIA Set To Make F1 Rule Change Following McLaren Complaint
The FIA is set to make a significant change to Formula 1 rules, in response to McLaren's frustrations following their double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified from Sunday's race, throwing the title fight wide open.
Although Norris retains the championship lead, both Piastri and reigning world champion Max Verstappen are now just 24 points behind him.
The McLaren cars were disqualified for breaching technical regulations, with the skid blocks on both cars measuring below the 9mm limit.
Advert
Heavy rain and red flags during Friday's practice sessions limited running time, leaving McLaren unprepared for the level of porpoising during the race.
Speaking to the press ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren boss Andrea Stella said the team did not believe they were taking an "excessive risk" with the ride height.
However, the unexpected porpoising caused the cars to touch the ground more frequently, wearing the skid blocks below the permitted limit.
McLaren accepted the penalty, but Stella expressed his frustration, noting that the breach was only marginal.
He said: “Unlike sporting or financial rules, there is no proportionality in the application of penalties for technical regulation infringements.
"The FIA itself has admitted that this lack of proportionality should be addressed in the future to ensure that minor and accidental technical infringements, with minimal or no performance benefits, do not lead to disproportionate consequences.
"It should also be remembered that the FIA itself emphasised that the infringement was not intentional.
"There was no deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations, and there were also mitigating circumstances, as we explained to the event Stewards.”
The mistake could prove costly with both Norris and Piastri chasing a maiden world title, while McLaren pursue their first Drivers' Championship since 2008.
Only two race weekends remain, starting in Qatar and concluding with the traditional season finale in Abu Dhabi.
As Qatar is a sprint weekend, there is only one practice session, reducing the time available for teams to gather data ahead of the race.
Despite that, Stella is confident McLaren will not repeat their mistake over the final two races.
He added: “The conditions we experienced last weekend and which led to the onset of porpoising and excess of grounding, compared to what was expected, are very specific to the operating window of the car in Vegas and the circuit characteristics.
"We have a well-established and consolidated way of setting up the car.
"And we are confident that this will lead us to an optimal plan for the coming races, starting from the Lusail International Circuit.
“Nevertheless, we learn from every lesson and the one in Las Vegas has been able to provide some useful information about the operating window of the car and the porpoising regime.”
Topics: Formula 1, FIA, McLaren, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
James Taylor