FIA to review formation lap radio directive after Haas penalties in Hungary

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FIA to review formation lap radio directive after Haas penalties in Hungary

Haas were stripped off a point in Hungary due to a very harsh penalty, and the FIA recognise the rules might need changing!

Nicolas Quarles van Ufford

Tuesday 11 August 2020 17:00

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Formula 1 race director Michael Masi has revealed the FIA plan to review the regulation that ended up costing Haas during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean were aided by their respective race engineers as they were instructed to pit after the formation lap, starting the race from the pitlane but switching their intermediate tyres for slicks.

This call ended up being a very good one as the duo was able to stay out while all other drivers came in for slicks after just a handful of laps. This promoted Magnussen and Grosjean to third and fourth respectively.

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Magnussen clung on scored Haas's first points of the season as he ended the race in ninth. Grosjean dropped to 15th but both drivers were given a 10-second penalty post-race, dropping both drivers one position down the order.

The stewards explained it is illegal for the drivers to be given instructions over the team radio, other than for safety reasons, on the formation lap. The regulation was brought in to prevent engineers guiding drivers through the start procedures and, in effect, act as a driver aid.

Haas team principal begrudgingly accepted the decision, but he once again called into question the severity of the penalty after Alex Albon was given just a five second penalty for colliding with Kevin Magnussen in the British Grand Prix.

Race director Michael Masi said: "We will discuss as we do with all parts of the regulations, anything that needs to be updated, revised or renewed from time to time.

"The technical directive which that relates to is not different from any other regulation that may need to be considered, reviewed, or reviewed and status quo stays."

The reviewing process is already underway, Masi further revealed, but no protest was needed for that to happen as the FIA understands Haas could feel hard done by since points are quite rare for them in recent times.

"It wasn’t a request from the teams," the Australian explained, "it was actually the FIA proactively suggesting that it’s something that we collectively review. Understanding the background to it was the original part and how it [the rule] came about.

"It will be discussed at all levels of the decision-making process and if there are any changes that are deemed necessary, they will be made."

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