The pilots complain regarding the lack of consistency in the criteria, since they constantly change the director of the race
The relationship between pilots and officers F1 this year has become increasingly tense, mainly around the inconsistent decision-making that has been experienced throughout the 2022 season.
Niels Wittich y Eduardo Freitas they replaced the fired race director Michael Masi earlier in the year, but the new system has, at best, received a mixed reception within the paddock.
Wittich and Freitas alternate the functions of race direction, which means that the latter supervised the British Grand Prix from last weekend.
George Russelldirector of the Grand Prix Drivers Associationsaid that this format needed to change.
“Yes, I agree that we should stick to a race director,” he agreed following Saturday’s sprint race at Austria.
“We need to have a little more consistency with the stewards. We get to the next event and often the stewards from the previous event are not there. So there is no accountability, no explanation of decisions.”
“We ask questions, and it’s hard to get a straight answer because you almost get a little bit of blame on someone else who isn’t there.
“So it’s complicated. Everyone has their own interpretations.”
Fernando Alonso has openly criticized the decision-making of the FIA this year and was forced to apologize to the chairman of the governing body, Mohammed Ben Sulayemfor the critical comments he made before the Spanish Grand Prix in May.
Alonso had suggested that the race stewards of the FIA they lack the necessary racing knowledge to do their jobs.
In the Miami Grand Prix he bristled at a penalty he received for cutting a chicane during the race, despite what he felt was a significant boost from the throttle followingwards in an attempt to regain any advantage gained.
Alonso was confused because Sergio Perez escaped without penalty in the British Grand Prix last week following going off track during his battles with Lewis Hamilton y Charles Leclerc.
The Spaniard said on Thursday that he would seek clarification at Friday’s meeting.
“I went off the track in Miami in a corner and gained an advantage for them [la FIA]but they have to imagine that I gained an advantage, because I give them all the advantage back”, said the Spaniard.
“[Silverstone] it was a clear advantage gain, because you can fight in the next corner inside or outside. So it’s clear. And it wasn’t a penalty. So I’m very confused.”
He added: “At the beginning of the year, it was not allowed to go off the track. It was very clear in black and white.
“Now, you’re allowed to go off track and stay flat on the run-off and keep fighting into the next corner. So that’s a completely different direction than what we’ve seen so far. So it’s going to be very, very interesting to clear this up.” .
After practice on Friday at Austriathe director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, George Russellsaid all drivers ask for is consistency.
Before the Miami Grand Prix, the pilots also criticized the momentum of the FIA to enforce an old rule regarding jewelry and undergarments being allowed in the car, leading to a multi-race showdown with Lewis Hamilton over his nose piercing.
Hamilton’s fellow drivers widely agreed with the seven-time world champion that the rule was draconian and that the governing body had more important things to attend to.
Vettel memorably mocked this directive from the FIA wearing his underwear on the outside of his racing suit as he walked to his car before a practice session at Miami.
The four times world champion Sebastian Vettel was fined €25,000 following leaving a drivers’ meeting before the Austrian Grand Prix.
Vettel walked out of the meeting “without permission” on Friday night during a heated discussion between drivers and FIA officials over growing frustrations around decision-making this year.
The stewards’ verdict said: “Drivers are not free to leave whenever they want, this being a breach of the attendance requirement.
“Drivers at this level are role models for all drivers in the world and, in the opinion of the stewards, Sebastian Vettel did not meet that standard in this case.”
The stewards said Vettel apologized “unreservedly” and then had a constructive discussion on the issues at hand with the race director this weekend, Niels Wittich.
