What a spectacle we saw in Las Vegas for which the organization should be commended.
Yes, there was that controversy over the drain cover, but that was nothing we have never seen before. But nobody is surprised anymore when it's Ferrari having that kind of bad luck, but I have to say Carlos Sainz handled it terribly professionally and calmly.
This could have been so much worse, after all. That drain cover could have come right through the floor and we would have had a very different conversation.
It is very unfortunate, but also not something new in F1. What I did find downright revolting was that Sainz got a grid penalty for taking new engine parts as the damage he sustained.
If ever there was a case of force majeure, this was it. That they couldn't waive the penalty under the rules is rubbish. That is simply not true.
In 2005, our Minardi cars did not comply with the new regulations, so we could not formally start in Australia.
We did not participate in any free practice sessions, but on Friday night, all ten teams, the FIA and Formula 1 signed a waiver to allow us to participate anyway. There are so many cases where Bernie Ecclestone or an emissary went around with a document on his behalf.
I think they should have handled that penalty for Sainz differently. I don't know what's true about the stories that Mercedes single-handedly stopped that, but even if its true, it's not true that FIA says the regulations don't allow for that.
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But enough about that drain cover.
We saw a great race, in which Sergio Perez secured second place in the World Championship. In doing so, he did exactly the one thing that was still expected of him.
He has been widely criticised and in the middle of the season, he really lacked form, but he did what he had to do.
With that second-place finish in the standings, he has quashed all the rumours about next season.
There will now be no issues with his contract for next year, and it will be interesting to see how he performs.
If he is consistently behind Max Verstappen, then he might have the chance at a contract extension, but I do think that at the end of 2024, it will be announced that Red Bull will put someone of its own making in that car.
The most likely name is Daniel Ricciardo - that has always been the plan from the moment Red Bull brought him back, but he needs to do well first.
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AvroAnson
I usually agree with most things Paul Stoddart writes, but I have to disagree about the drain cover incident. Stoddart takes the line (like Toto) that this type of thing has happened before, and that somehow mitigates the seriousness of the issue. Out here in the real world, the repetition of a dangerous situation in no way mitigates it - the fact that it has happened before means that it's a known potential hazard and should be carefully inspected / managed. It won't cut any ice in the coroner's court to say "Oh, it's happened before so it's not a problem". Liberty as the promoter and FIA as the certifying organisation both dropped the ball badly. They are lucky the damage was limited to the car - it could have been much, much worse.
ItWasntMe
The intent behind that remark that it has happened before like in Portimao 2020 when Vettel Ferrari got damaged because of a loose drain cover and that costs of the damage was also for Ferrari including the grid penalty. Why should this case be handled differently from previous times?
AvroAnson
I think the penalty and safety factors are two separate issues - I was really referring to the safety issue. I agree with Stoddart about the "rubbish" penalty - there is no way it should have been applied. Consistency is good, but repeating past mistakes in the name of consistency is not good.
flash
Fair play for coming out and saying what everyone else was thinking. Zak Brown said on live TV that one team had vetoed the force majeur for Ferrari. There was only one team who stood to win or loose, MERCEDES, Keep it up Stoddie.