Latest news with #MaxVerstappen
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Red Bull's Canadian GP protest should spark F1 reform
Red Bull's decision to appeal the result of the Canadian Grand Prix drew widespread criticism, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff branding it 'petty' and 'embarrassing.' The ensuing delay in confirming the race result drew negative reactions from both fans and the media alike. It took more than five and a half hours for George Russell's victory to be officially confirmed by the FIA, after he was cleared of any wrongdoing by the stewards. Advertisement By that point, Max Verstappen had already left Canadian airspace – choosing not to wait and see if he might inherit the win from the Brit. Red Bull's protest centred on claims that Russell had driven 'erratically' behind the safety car and that his heavy braking amounted to 'unsportsmanlike behaviour.' Both arguments were dismissed by the stewards. However, it was the delay in reaching that decision that was the main problem, and also raises questions about the process of protesting a race result. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Wolff criticised the timing of the protest, telling Sky Sports at the New York premiere of the F1 movie: 'It was two hours before [Red Bull] launched the protest, so that was their doing. It's so petty and so small. They come up with some weird clauses – what they call clauses. I guess the FIA needs to look at that because it was so far-fetched, it got rejected.' Advertisement Unsurprisingly, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended the protest. Speaking to the same outlet, he said: 'It's a team's right to do so. You have the ability to put it in front of the stewards, and that's what we chose to do. Absolutely no regrets.' Who is at Fault? Teams are entitled to protest the outcome of a race if they believe a sporting regulation has been violated or that new evidence was missed by the stewards. Horner revealed that the appeal cost €2,000 (£1,700) and admitted he was surprised Russell's driving wasn't flagged by the stewards initially. This also wasn't Red Bull's first protest of the season. During May's Miami Grand Prix, Russell – who once again finished ahead of Verstappen – was accused of failing to slow under yellow flags. Red Bull were making a point and felt Russell had not slowed sufficiently, with Horner saying they were simply seeking clarity of the regulations. Advertisement That claim, too, was dismissed. Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing While there's no suggestion that Red Bull is deliberately targeting Russell, who has had a series of tense exchanges with Verstappen in recent years, the repeated protests do raise questions about the current appeal process in general. The €2,000 cost of filing a protest is not a deterrent, should a team wish to make a point or seek clarification over a regulation. After all, there are other mechanisms for this to be raised that would not delay the outcome of a race result. But if that fee were increased and counted toward the cost cap – it could discourage teams from lodging speculative appeals without solid evidence. Advertisement A higher financial burden would likely ensure only well-founded protests are brought forward, potentially speeding up the process for the stewards and avoiding unnecessary delays. A problem of resources In the case of Canada, the situation was further complicated by the sheer volume of post-race investigations. According to the rules, incidents are reviewed in the order they are reported. Red Bull's protest, submitted two hours after the chequered flag, was placed last in the queue. Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Before reaching Russell's case, the stewards had to examine incidents involving Ollie Bearman, Lando Norris, and Esteban Ocon – followed by seven separate alleged infringements of the safety car procedure. Advertisement It was a frustrating experience for everyone. Fans at the circuit left without clarity, while many in Europe went to bed not knowing who had actually won the race. It was not a good look for a sport that is trying to grow its appeal around the world. Maybe there is scope for race stewards to delegate, meaning that the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva could cycle through the lesser offences using all the technology at its disposal. That would free up those stewards at the track to oversee Red Bull's protest and ultimately result in quicker decision-making. Another possibility would be to increase the number of stewards, something the FIA is already working on as it looks to increase its pool of qualified race officials. Interestingly, in Canada, officials at the race had more resources at their disposal as the FIA had four stewards adjudicating the race rather than the usual three. The increase in stewards is being trialled at six raced this year, including at Singapore and Brazil later this season. Advertisement Read Also: Christian Horner defends Red Bull Canadian GP protest: "Absolutely no regrets" Toto Wolff: Red Bull's Canadian GP protest was "so petty and so small" Whatever the solution, it is important that the lengthy delay in confirming the race result is addressed as a matter of urgency, for it would be bad news for everyone if this became common place. To read more articles visit our website.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Is there a Formula 1 race this weekend? F1 standings, schedule
Is there a Formula 1 race this weekend? F1 standings, schedule Show Caption Hide Caption 'F1: The Movie' trailer: Brad Pitt drives fast in Formula 1 film Brad Pitt plays a veteran driver recruited for a Formula 1 race team and Damson Idris is the hotshot racer in "F1: The Movie." Formula 1 has a new winner for 2025. Last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix saw a non-McLaren driver take victory for just the third time in the first 10 races. Mercedes' George Russell earned pole position and his first win of the season in the best weekend of the season for the team. His teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, came home third to give Mercedes its first double-podium of the year. Four-time defending champion Max Verstappen kept close to Russell but couldn't challenge him for the win. The McLarens couldn't match Russell and Verstappen's pace on race day. Instead, they collided with each other late enough to force the race to finish under safety car conditions. Lando Norris tried to pass Oscar Piastri for fourth on the start/finish straight but instead hit Piastri's left rear tire and went into the wall. Norris immediately took responsibility for the incident on team radio in the first clash between this year's top two title contenders. That finish meant Piastri widened his lead atop the drivers' championship standings to 22 points, nearly a full race win's points haul, over this teammate. Norris still holds a 21-point gap to Verstappen even with his crash and Verstappen's second-place finish. 'A PRETTY DETERMINED CHARACTER': First female F1 race engineer Laura Mueller on track with Haas' Esteban Ocon at Miami GP That was a thrilling end to an exciting race as usual in Canada. Will F1 be back on track this weekend? Here's what to know: Is there a Formula 1 race this weekend? No, the teams get a week off following the Canadian Grand Prix. It was one of the "fly-away" races of the schedule so the grid gets a week off before and after. The F1 grid returns to Europe in the next race of the season in the Austrian Grand Prix. It's the first of a double-header from June into July. When is the next F1 race? The next F1 race will be the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, June 29. In 2024, that race saw the first of many clashes between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The two collided when fighting for the lead late in the race, handing the victory to Mercedes' George Russell. 2025 Formula 1 schedule, recap Here's a list of each Grand Prix race with the winner if applicable. Australian Grand Prix (March 2): Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Chinese Grand Prix (March 9) : Oscar Piastri, McLaren : Oscar Piastri, McLaren Japanese Grand Prix (April 6) : Max Verstappen, Red Bull : Max Verstappen, Red Bull Bahrain Grand Prix (April 13) : Oscar Piastri, McLaren : Oscar Piastri, McLaren Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (April 20) : Oscar Piastri, McLaren : Oscar Piastri, McLaren Miami Grand Prix (May 4) : Oscar Piastri, McLaren : Oscar Piastri, McLaren Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (May 18) : Max Verstappen, Red Bull : Max Verstappen, Red Bull Monaco Grand Prix (May 25) : Lando Norris, McLaren : Lando Norris, McLaren Spanish Grand Prix (June 1) : Oscar Piastri, McLaren : Oscar Piastri, McLaren Canadian Grand Prix (June 15) : George Russell, Mercedes : George Russell, Mercedes Austrian Grand Prix (June 29) : : British Grand Prix (July 6) : : Belgian Grand Prix (July 27) : : Hungarian Grand Prix (Aug. 3) : : Dutch Grand Prix (Aug. 31) : : Italian Grand Prix (Sept. 7) : : Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Sept. 21) : : Singapore Grand Prix (Oct. 5) : : United States Grand Prix (Oct. 19) : : Mexico City Grand Prix (Oct. 26) : : São Paulo Grand Prix (Nov. 9) : : Las Vegas Grand Prix (Nov. 22) : : Qatar Grand Prix (Nov. 30) : : Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Dec. 7): 2025 Formula 1 drivers' standings Oscar Piastri, McLaren: 198 points Lando Norris, McLaren: 176 Max Verstappen, Red Bull: 155 George Russell, Mercedes: 136 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari: 104 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari: 79 Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes: 63 Alex Albon, Williams: 42 Esteban Ocon, Haas: 22 Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls: 21 Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber: 20 Lance Stroll, Aston Martin: 14 Carlos Sainz Jr., Williams: 13 Pierre Gasly, Alpine: 11 Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull: 10 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin: 8 Oliver Bearman, Haas: 6 Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls: 4 Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber: 0 Franco Colapinto, Alpine: 0 2025 Formula 1 constructors' standings McLaren: 374 points Mercedes: 199 Ferrari: 183 Red Bull: 162 Williams: 55 Racing Bulls: 28 Haas: 28 Aston Martin: 22 Sauber: 20 Alpine: 11 The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
New York Times
4 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Why hasn't George Russell got a Mercedes F1 contract extension yet? It's overdue
George Russell's eyes narrowed under his flowing locks. His look hardened, steel glinting in what was left of his vision. This was the pre-event media day at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix and I'd just asked what Russell made of critics who were then saying he makes too many mistakes under pressure. It was, after all, bellowed at certain Formula One TV viewers during the preceding race in Canada… There, as he did last weekend in Montreal, Russell had started on pole ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and brilliantly led the early stages. But as that wet race dried up, his rivals came back to him in a way they just didn't in 2025 — and mishaps followed. He went off, twice, and ill-advisedly turned with McLaren's Oscar Piastri well alongside at the track's final chicane. Advertisement In another 2025 parallel, Canada 2024 was Mercedes' first chance to nick a win against the season's run of form. Then, it went begging. 'I have no need to respond to those people (who say I crack under pressure),' Russell replied to me, before doing precisely that. 'I could drive one tenth off the pace for 70 laps in a row and I wouldn't make a single mistake. '(In) 2022 I didn't make a single mistake in the whole season (Mick Schumacher in Singapore that year would very much beg to differ), but I wasn't pushing myself the way I'm pushing myself now. 'I could drive one tenth off the pace, not make a single mistake, and it looks like a flawless race from the outside. But knowing within that I had a tenth on the table, I'd be kicking myself for not pushing myself to the limit. So, people can say what they want. I'm pushing myself above and beyond. And maybe overstretched slightly because I'm trying to…' Russell tailed off, so we'll return to the aftermath of his 2025 Canadian GP triumph. After all, he's achieved exactly what he was getting at this time a year ago. The 27-year-old has clearly made a step up from what were already high-level performances in that time. His tire management mastery won the 2024 Belgian GP before Russell was ultimately disqualified for his car being underweight. His tire warm-up work on Mercedes' cool-weather predilection sent him to Las Vegas glory. And at the start of 2025, he and Verstappen stand alone in how they've maximised car potential this term — bar the Spanish GP calamity moment from the Dutchman. How Russell saw off Lando Norris' McLaren even as his Mercedes was effectively shutting down around him in Bahrain shows how much better he's dealing with the pressure these days. That was again on display in the face of intense, race-long pressure from unquestionably F1's best driver of the current era in Montreal. And Russell aced it. Russell has made a point of standing up to Verstappen in the intervening time, too. Such an approach will make you a villain to Max's fans. And in his seven-and-a-half years on the grid, Russell has become a something of polarizing figure to F1's fractured fanbase. His honed public image is quintessentially British (enough alone to rub many fans up the wrong way). And a feeling pervades in the paddock that he just tries a bit too hard — illustrated by his post-qualifying interview quip about Verstappen's penalty points situation, but also in becoming a Grand Prix Drivers' Association director aged 23 and so wading forthrightly into many a public debate. Advertisement The flip side of the latter point is that Russell just wants to give back to F1 and its fans — very Sebastian Vettel-like in several ways. Now, there's a driver who didn't gain widespread F1 popularity until much later in his F1 career… Scenes such as Russell eviscerating his then-Williams squad after practice at the 2019 British GP, when he was but a rookie and captured by Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' cameras, play into how Russell is characterised. He demanded lots of those around him even before he made it to F1. As an aside, so does his 2019 Williams team-mate Robert Kubica, who'd made it quite the weekend for that former pairing by leading AF Corse's quasi-customer Ferrari Hypercar squad to a popular Le Mans 24 Hours victory earlier last Sunday. In an era when people crave authentic public personalities, it's worth reflecting that the Russell we see reflects the man himself. He tries hard outwardly because that is just his nature. Anyway, after all the penalty point(s)-making chat of last week, there was still one of F1's best races to win. He did so with aplomb overall. And yet, he's still without a Mercedes contract extension beyond 2025. Russell isn't talking to any other team. And he doesn't have to. If Toto Wolff does pull off the unlikely and lure Verstappen from Red Bull, a straight swap into the only other regularly front-running team with a free seat is Russell's best option. A switch to Aston Martin (as was rumored here this week) or the coming Cadillac squad would risk leaving Russell stranded in the midfield, or worse. The latest from Wolff on Russell's contract is that 'we're going to get there' — around 'triple-headers getting out of the way and one race after the other now in June and July'. The long-awaited extension is thought to be a formality in the paddock. An announcement at Russell's upcoming home race at Silverstone has a nice ring to it, but more likely it'll come ahead of F1's traditional August summer break. Advertisement That's if it does, though. Verstappen's ongoing uncertain Red Bull future is thought to be behind the delay. Given his position as F1's peloton patron — through sheer weight of success if nothing else — Verstappen remains a lucrative prospect for any team. And Wolff knows this well. He is privately convinced that with the right management, moments like the Monza 2021, Budapest 2024, Spain 2025 (I really could go on) red mist wouldn't have happened for Verstappen; that it's the fault of Red Bull/Christian Horner approach to driver management that it has already repeatedly occurred. But the point of no return has long passed. Verstappen is the force of F1 nature he is because of his life lessons to this point. He has achieved all he has because of it, too. Bringing him into a ship that Wolff hates being rocked is just too risky. It's far more logical to allow Russell to deliver his prime F1 years with Mercedes while Kimi Antonelli continues rising than to gamble Mercedes' current team harmony all on signing Max, brilliant as he is. And, thanks to Mercedes' many car weaknesses in this rules era, F1 actually doesn't know how good Russell ultimately might be. His peaks suggest he could be right up there with the best, now the mistakes of early 2024 are seemingly gone. Really, Mercedes has let Russell down with its car performance since promoting him from Williams for 2022. But now it can reward him with its faith for the future. And that might just include returning to title challenging come 2026 and the new engine formula. If that comes to pass, assessments of Russell's standing with F1 fans will reach a new level altogether. Like Verstappen, though, don't expect him to change. There's just too much inner steel.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
The next Vettel or Verstappen? Meet Fionn McLaughlin
Max Verstappen. Sebastian Vettel. Carlos Sainz. Daniel Ricciardo. The list of drivers to come through Red Bull Racing's Junior programme is extensive, with race winners and world champions making up eight of the 21 drivers on this year's Formula 1 grid. Now, a teenager from Northern Ireland is hoping to join the ranks of some of Formula 1's biggest names. In his first season of car racing, Red Bull Junior driver Fionn McLaughlin is in title contention in British F4 in his first season of car racing."If I'm in the Red Bull academy and I'm doing a good job, then I think it's realistic. I'm going to work as hard as I can to make it to F1," he told BBC Sport NI about his Formula 1 dreams."Red Bull are giving me the opportunity and I think I have the ability to make it. "If you don't believe in yourself, you won't be able to get anywhere. "When I was six years of age driving around, the thought of being in F4 or F3 was something I never would have thought of. I'm proud to be here and I'll always be grateful for the steps I'm making." 'Helmut Marko said I had potential' Racing is in McLaughlin's DNA. His father, Martin, used to race go karts and he was always at circuits with his dad. While Verstappen is one of the sport's biggest names, it was another four-time F1 world champion who McLaughlin grew up idolising. "My whole life I looked up to Sebastian Vettel, from when I was six. "I thought he was amazing. So, I always had that dream of making it to Formula 1, and with Red Bull. "It's great to be in the academy, and looking forward F1 is my goal. It would be amazing to get there and I'm happy I have this opportunity."McLaughlin had a solid karting career, which had taken him across the UK, Europe and the world. But he had the chance to take his career to the next level when he was invited to a shootout by Red Bull at Jerez last summer, and he beat a number of drivers to be enrolled into the team's junior driving discovered he had been selected when Helmut Marko, Red Bull's often-feared team adviser and head of the company's driver academy, approached him at the end of the test."I was doing well at go karting and had an opportunity from Red Bull. I just tried to do a good job to see where it took me," continued McLaughlin."I was up against six other drivers, it was good competition and there was a bit of pressure. I was able to deliver, and they obviously thought I was decent enough to take me on board for the Junior team. "Helmut Marko came over to me and said, 'I think you're a good driver and I want you on our team'. He said I had potential and would take me on as far as he could in the future. "He's a nice man and he's given me the opportunity to race in F4. It's quite expensive, and he's given me the opportunity." 'I'm a winning driver' With the support of Red Bull, McLaughlin has taken his first steps into car racing. He started with the Formula Winter Series, where he secured three wins and seven Magherafelt teenager then moved into British F4, which has seen the likes of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, IndyCar star Colton Herta and Formula 2 championship contender Alex has adapted well to the championship, leads the rookie standings and is second in the overall standings after four rounds. "I've found it's not too bad stepping up from go karting. It's different in how you brake, and it's different as it's a tighter space inside the car," McLaughlin added. "It's been a change, but I think I've got used to it quite well and I'm delivering as best as I can. "I'm taking it step by step and it's about the main goal at the end of the year, which is the championship trophy."You have to deliver as quickly as possible in this sport. Being classed as a rookie is good, but I always try to focus on the main championship." McLaughlin is delivering in British F4 and will have the chance to race on the British Grand Prix weekend as the series supports Formula 1 at Silverstone in July. It's a huge opportunity with some of the sport's biggest names watching on and looking for the next stars. "Being a support race on the F1 Silverstone package was unexpected — opportunities like this usually don't come until F3," McLaughlin said."I'm still in F4, so I'm not putting any extra pressure on the event. But the goal remains the same: to win every time I get in the car and winning on the world stage would be something special."After being given the chance to progress his career by Red Bull, McLaughlin admits there is pressure to deliver if he is to achieve his dream to making it to F1. "I always have high expectations of winning, but I just try and believe in my ability, McLaughlin added. "I try not to look too much into the future, I take it step by step. For me, it's important to do a good job at where I'm at now, and believe in what I can do. "You have to keep getting results, because if you're not doing a good job you're not going to be able to take the next step."McLaughlin says "pressure has always been a thing" but that is something he thrives under. "Obviously it can be tough as you need the results but that's my job and that's what I want. "I want to be a winner. Red Bull are a winning team, I'm a winning driver so we work well with each other."
New York Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
Why Red Bull's ‘petty' Canada protest and its five-hour wait matters for F1 fans
Five hours and 34 minutes after the checkered flag fell at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the result of the Canadian Grand Prix was declared final. In that time, Max Verstappen, who crossed the line second for Red Bull, had already made it onto his private jet to head back to Europe so he could test a GT car at the Spa circuit in Belgium the next day. The majority of the pack-up operation in the F1 paddock was already complete, leaving those still at the track to dodge between freight boxes on their way out in the Montreal darkness. Advertisement The lengthy delay between the end of the race and the result being made official was a source of frustration for many. Fans in Europe would have gone to bed without knowing if George Russell had actually won the race, after Red Bull lodged multiple protests against the Mercedes driver. The stewards eventually deemed Red Bull's protests — made on the grounds that Russell had driven erratically behind the safety car and been 'unsportsmanlike' by complaining about Verstappen on the radio — to be unfounded. They finalized the race result at 9:10 p.m. local time (2:10 a.m. Monday BST). Red Bull's protest drew a dim response from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who said in an interview with Sky Sports at the premiere of F1: The Movie in New York the following day that the action was 'so petty and so small', before suggesting the protest process may need an FIA review. 'I guess the FIA needs to look at that, because it's so far-fetched and was rejected,' Wolff said. '(If) You race, you win and you lose on-track. That was a fair victory for us, like so many they had in the past. It's just embarrassing.' Shortly after the protest had been lodged in Canada, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told reporters in his regular post-race media session that it was within a competitor's rights to take issues to the stewards — noting it cost €2,000 (£1,487) to do so — and that he was surprised Russell's actions had not been noted by race control in the first place. Red Bull argued to the stewards that Russell had driven erratically in his braking during the late safety-car period, resulting in Verstappen momentarily moving ahead of the Mercedes. Russell noted on the radio that the Dutchman had overtaken him, which was the basis of Red Bull's 'unsportsmanlike conduct' claim. It was also unhappy with Russell dropping too far back behind the safety at times – around the 10-car-length rule — but this was ultimately withdrawn and the stewards didn't rule on it. Advertisement None of the above held much water with the FIA-appointed stewards, who said that the kind of braking seen from Russell was very normal for cars behind the safety car, particularly when drivers are warming up their tires. They also didn't feel Russell's radio message was enough to constitute being unsportsmanlike, nor were his braking habits at the head of the field. Had the former been deemed a breach, it would have opened the floodgates for all routine radio snitching to face scrutiny moving forward. It wasn't the first time this season that Red Bull had lodged a post-race protest — and it wasn't the first time its protest was made against Russell. At May's Miami Grand Prix, when Russell finished third, again just ahead of Verstappen, Red Bull claimed that Russell had failed to slow for a yellow flag. It prompted both Wolff and Russell to seek out Horner in the paddock to ask why his team had protested. This was also thrown out by the stewards. Horner said on Sunday in Canada it was nothing personal against Russell, and a mere coincidence it was his car being questioned once again, and also told Sky Sports at the same movie premiere on Monday that there were 'no regrets' over the protest, again repeating that it was a team's right to have done so. 'We saw something that we didn't think was quite right, and you have the ability to put it in front of the stewards,' Horner said. 'So, that's what we chose to do.' While it may have been Red Bull's right, the questions over the basis of its complaints may revive the debate about protest rationale in F1. On a related matter in Miami, McLaren boss Zak Brown said he thought the FIA needed to change the rules to stop what he called 'bogus allegations' around technical matters, having poked fun at a suggestion his team's current advantage is due to water inside tires somehow helping cool them down. Although Brown did not name Red Bull as having made those allegations, he appeared to make reference to it by saying 'one team focuses on that strategy more than others'. Advertisement Brown's suggested solution was to introduce greater financial deterrents for making allegations against other teams on technical matters, saying $25,000 would be a good figure to stop it being a 'distraction tactic'. Brown feels this should be deducted from a team's cost cap figure that is otherwise spent on car development. Horner is correct in saying it was within Red Bull's rights to make its protest against Russell in Canada. The low cost — €2,000 isn't going to hurt the overall budget of any F1 team — meant it was low effort with a high upside. Potentially, Red Bull could've snatched away the race win, even if its argument was flimsy. This played a role in making it a very long evening for the stewards. If this becomes a recurring habit and leads to more race results being thrown into doubt, the FIA may start to consider if there needs to be more serious deterrents in place to ensure teams are absolutely confident in their arguments. If nothing else, requiring teams to be all the more certain in their arguments before lodging a protest could help spare the FIA stewards having to work well into the night after a race. Confirmation of Red Bull's protest arrived at 5:34 p.m. in Montreal, around two hours after the race had finished. By this point, the stewards already had a long list of incidents to adjudicate — and, because of the timing of Red Bull's protest, the one that would decide the race result itself was at the bottom of the pile. The stewards always review incidents in the order they occur, meaning the list of decisions before them in Canada that night went: For all these incidents, the stewards had to go through a hearing with the relevant parties, analyze footage, consult the rulebook and then hand down their rulings — all of which had to be detailed in the FIA's decision documents system. For a panel of four stewards, all of them volunteers, it's a lot to get through at the conclusion of a busy weekend. Advertisement While FIA protocols made it understandable why the Russell matter was at the bottom of that list, it was clearly the most important item on it, given it concerned the apparent race winner. Common sense would suggest that it be brought forward and a decision made on Red Bull's protest as quickly as possible. Instead, everybody was left waiting. It wasn't a great look for F1. But one issue that has been regularly highlighted with the current stewarding system is the depth of resources and how much a small panel have to get through when there are multiple incidents, a problem laid bare a couple of years ago with the track-limits debacle in Austria. The FIA's stewards rotation system, while preventing possible grudges, does also lead to regular questions over consistency. The move to drop Derek Warwick from the Canada roster over unauthorized media comments will have done little to ease these. The priority always has to be getting decisions right, not necessarily quickly. Yet in all five cases above, the final call was very cut and dry, as reflected in the stewards' document. Only one incident resulted in a penalty, with five seconds being added to Norris' race time — which didn't mean anything, given he retired from the race. This affair is the latest to highlight just how important it is to have a bolstered, capable stewards' room that can actively make calls that are both accurate and quick. More nuanced incidents do, of course, need to take time, but there was little good reason for there to be such a delay between a case concerning the race winner being heard and the resulting decision being announced. Be it a higher bar for making post-race protests or ensuring there is the bandwidth in place to deal with various matters simultaneously, Sunday night's wait in Canada will only strengthen calls for improvements to be made to F1's current stewarding system.
