The FIA has come out to defend its decisions regarding delayed Safety Car deployment and controversial Lando Norris penalty at the F1 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
This was after the race emerged as one of the most contentious races in recent F1 history, primarily due to the handling of safety protocols and penalties by the governing body during the event.
Central to the controversy was the decision to impose a 10-second stop-and-go penalty on McLaren driver Lando Norris for failing to slow down under double yellow flags.
Norris penalty affected his running with the McLaren driver ultimately finishing the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix in tenth, sparking widespread debate regarding the consistency and fairness of race regulations.
As the race unfolded at the Lusail International Circuit, a series of events led to heightened tensions among drivers, teams, and officials. The initial trigger for the double yellow flags was a detached wing mirror from Alex Albon’s Williams car, which was left on the main straight.
Despite the presence of the debris, race control opted not to deploy a Safety Car immediately, a decision that would later be criticised after Valtteri Bottas struck the mirror several laps later, scattering debris across the track and resulting in punctures for both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.
The FIA defended their decision in a statement released following the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, claiming that a Safety Car is typically not deployed for minor debris located off the racing line unless it poses a significant threat to drivers.
As quoted from the official F1 website, the governing body said: “Normal practice is for the Safety Car not to be deployed if there is a small amount of debris, and off the racing line.
“The extensive debris after a car hit the mirror and the punctures that occurred shortly after forced the decision on a Safety Car. A VSC [Virtual Safety Car] would not have been a solution, as the cars remain spread-out and there is not sufficient time for a marshal to clear the debris.
“The FIA constantly reviews its methods and processes and will analyse further the specific scenario, and discuss it with the teams, in order to see whether in the future a different course of action needs to be taken.”
The FIA subsequently deployed the Safety Car to clear the track after acknowledging that the situation had become unsafe. However, the decision came too late for Norris, who had already been penalized for his failure to adhere to the double yellow flags.
The penalty dropped him from a promising second place to last among those still in contention, severely affecting McLaren’s standing in the Constructors’ Championship as they approached the season finale.
The FIA defended its decision regarding Norris penalty, describing it as necessary for maintaining safety standards within F1.
According to FIA guidelines circulated earlier in 2024, any infringement involving double yellow flags is treated with utmost seriousness due to its potential compromise of safety, warranting a severe penalty, which in this case was a 10-second stop-and-go.
“The penalty was in accordance with the penalty guidelines circulated to the teams on 19 February 2024. A double yellow flag infringement is considered a serious compromise of safety, which is why such offences carry such a severe penalty.”
The FIA also confirmed the lights on the Safety Car appeared to malfunction at the restart after it was deployed for its second appearance during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix: “During the second Safety Car period, the lights malfunctioned.
“All teams were verbally advised that the SC would be coming in, so the restart took place in the normal fashion. While the reason for the malfunction was identified and fixed, out of caution, the Safety Car was swapped in time for its third deployment.”
Moreover, Norris’s penalty was compounded by additional repercussions; he received three penalty points on his Super Licence for his infringement.
Team principals and drivers alike have expressed concerns regarding how penalties were administered at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix and whether they were applied uniformly across different incidents.
McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella expressed mixed feelings about the ruling while Mercedes Toto Wolff referred to Norris’s penalty as “brutal” but acknowledged that consistency is key for maintaining trust in race officials.
As teams prepare for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, McLaren is left grappling with the ramifications of this penalty on their championship aspirations.
With just one race remaining and their lead over Ferrari significantly reduced, every point will count as they aim to secure their position in the Constructors’ Championship.
