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FORMULA 1
AP PHOTO/ERIC GAY
The Woking team will need to present clear and substantial new evidence to the FIA today (25/10) to have any hope of overturning the 5′ penalty handed out by US GP stewards to Lando Norris so the Englishman can reclaim 3rd place over Max Verstappen.
However, if the FIA accepts that the new evidence to be presented by McLaren is material and relevant, only then will it proceed to a new hearing between the parties involved to determine whether it should consider changing the decision of its race officials. Austin.
We remind you that the 5” penalty was imposed on Lando Norris because the stewards judged that he gained an unfair advantage when he overtook Max Verstappen for 3rd place by going outside the track boundaries. McLaren expressed its opposition to this decision, through its director Andrea Stella.
The marshals have since been criticized – such as by Toto Wolff – for selectively applying the rules by not handing Verstappen the five-minute penalty they had earlier handed down to George Russell and Yuki Tsunoda for pushing their rivals off the track, in similar circumstances.
McLaren’s request will be considered by the stewards in Mexico – in a live video conference with the stewards in Austin – this afternoon at 14:30 (local time), when McLaren will also present the new information available to it.
Teams have the right to proceed with such requests under the FIA Racing Code, which states: “If an important and relevant new element is discovered which was not available to the parties requesting the review at the time of the relevant decision, the stewards who have taken the decision or, failing that, those appointed by the FIA, may decide to reconsider their decision”.
Many believe that the key new element that McLaren will present is the footage from the front camera of Verstappen’s Red Bull, as only the rear-facing camera of the Dutchman’s car was broadcast in the live feed.
Should McLaren succeed in reviewing and overturning Norris’ penalty, the Englishman will regain third place in the Austin race, dropping Verstappen to fourth. This will reduce their gap at the top of the league from 57 to 51 points. However, the FIA rarely overturns the decisions of its race officials.
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