McLaren Seeks Clarity on FIA's Appeal Process for Penalties

McLaren challenges the FIA’s decision, aiming to clarify the process for appealing penalties and ensuring transparency in race decisions.

McLaren has issued a statement expressing its disagreement with the FIA regarding the stewards’ decision at the United States Grand Prix not to reopen the case that saw Lando Norris receive a five-second penalty (decision available here).

The team has acknowledged the verdict, which established that the Woking-based outfit did not meet the necessary criteria for a right of review to be accepted.

In the statement, McLaren reiterated its stance that the initial outcome of the investigation into Norris’s overtaking of Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas was incorrect, adding that it “will continue to work closely with the FIA to better understand how teams can constructively challenge decisions” that lead to erroneous outcomes.

The stewards, alongside McLaren and Red Bull, emphasised the “high threshold” required for a right of review to be successfully considered.

In doing so, the panel highlighted that the four criteria listed “appear to have been designed more for decisions made following a hearing where all parties are present, rather than in the high-pressure environment of a race session, where decisions are made (as allowed by the International Sporting Code, ISC) without all parties present.”

McLaren’s Statement Following the Rejection of the Right of Review

“We acknowledge the decision of the stewards to reject our request for a right of review.”

“We disagree with the interpretation that an FIA document, which informs a competitor of an objective, measurable, and provable error in the stewards’ decision, cannot be considered an ‘element’ admissible under the four criteria set out by the ISC, as specified in Article 14.3.”

“We appreciate the FIA and the stewards for reviewing this case in a timely manner.”

“We will continue to work closely with the FIA to better understand how teams can constructively challenge decisions that result in incorrect race classifications.”