The FIA has declared McLaren’s protest against Oscar Piastri’s track limits infraction during qualifying for the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix is inadmissible.
Piastri had his final Q3 lap deleted for a track limits infraction at Turn 6, which the Australian labelled “embarrassing,” given the gravel traps in place at the corner were effectively made redundant in the ruling.
Instead, the light blue line between the edge of the asphalt and the kerbing was used and Piastri’s infraction dropped him down to seventh in Saturday’s qualifying.
McLaren elected to protest the ruling with the FIA with Team Principal Andrea Stella arguing (via Autosport) that “I cannot say that the beyond reasonable doubt is satisfied.”
Stella noted that the imagery provided to make the decision didn’t provide clear enough evidence of a track limits infraction.
“In this case, it’s just everything blurred and affected by the shadow,” he said.
“It’s quite a lot to come here, compete, put together qualifying laps, and when the penalty is so severe, like having the lap deleted, then we need to make sure that the penalty is enforced beyond any reasonable doubt.”
Still, following McLaren’s protest, the FIA has elected not to relent on its actions, meaning Piastri will remain seventh on Sunday’s grid.
The FIA noted that protest, lodged in writing in addition to a €2000 deposit was submitted to the Clerk of the Course as opposed to the Stewards, “did not specify and relevant regulations,” and “did” not specify against whom the protest was lodged.”
These three factors all breached what the FIA noted as “required criteria for the admissibility of a protest”
Moreover, as the lap time deletion was a decision taken by the Race Stewards, it was in fact not open to protest as per Article 12.3.3 of the FIA International Sporting Code.
So, not only will Piastri have to start Sunday’s race from seventh on the grid, but McLaren gets the added sting of its protest deposit being forfeited.
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