Contrary to what Red Bull’s internal bosom argued after seeing how its pilot ended up against the protections, Michael Masi denies that the stewards should take into account what happened after an incident on a curve.
In any incident there are always at least two parties involved with at least two different opinions about what happened, while on the other side of the scale are the FIA and the commissioners, those who are genuinely responsible for making a decision that ends the controversy that may have caused (although sometimes the opposite occurs).
In a matter of minutes, at Silverstone Red Bull heavyweights They came to the fore to recriminate Lewis Hamilton’s maneuver in front of his pupil, with Helmut Marko even going so far as to request a suspension from the Mercedes driver. Radio communications between the team leaders and Michael Masi were constant, but the Formula 1 governing body handed down a ruling within a few laps of the race resumed.
“The stewards reviewed the video evidence and telemetry. Cars # 33 and # 44 entered Turn 9 with car # 33 leading and car # 44 slightly behind and on the inside. Car # 44 was on a line that did not reach the apex of the curve, with space available inside. When car # 33 turned around the curve, car # 44 did not avoid contact and the left front of car # 44 hit the right rear of car # 33. Car # 44 is considered the main culprit»Read the statement of the sanction of 10s to Hamilton.
Incident yes, consequences no
With this explanation, the FIA made it clear that Verstappen’s impact against the wall and the subsequent destruction of his RB16B were not considered by the stewards as part of the investigation. “I think one of the most important things, which has been a fundamental element for many, many years, and this came after discussions prior to my conversations with the teams, the FIA and Formula 1, with the fairly firm team leaders, the thing is the consequences of an incident should not be considered“Masi commented.
«When they judge an incident, they judge the incident itself, not what happens next due. That is something that curators have been doing for many years, and they have been advised to do it from above. I’m talking about team participation, and so on. Starting to take into account the consequences … there are many variables, “he added.
Asked about the opinion of Red Bull, which argued that Hamilton deserved a harsher sanction precisely because of the consequences of the touch, Masi continued his explanation. “I think that if you look at it like that you will never see a sanction solve an imbalance like that. That is the reason why if you go years ago the teams or the team leaders made a clear distinction that they did not want the consequences to be considered, they wanted it to be based on the incident itself. I fully understand that perspective, and I think it is a general opinion among all the commissioners, “he explained.
“There are a lot of TV analysts with a lot of ex-drivers who will give their perspective, and the stewards go through absolutely everything they have available. Unlike VAR, which is decided in 30 seconds, sometimes 1 minute maximum, curators take the time they need to analyze any item possible of any incident that occurs. That is why I do not see it from my point of view, I believe that the commissioners have to remain an independent judiciary. It seems to me that they should not have any pressure, ”Masi concluded.