Breaking news
Formula 1
Lack of leeway over tech breaches "a bit sad" - Renault
Renault Formula 1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul says there's a "disconnect" between the move to relax driving penalties and the lack of leeway given for technical infringements.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Sep 25, 2019, 2:02 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In Singapore, Daniel Ricciardo was excluded from qualifying after a kerb strike led to a power spike over the MGU-K limit of 120kW.
When called to the FIA, Renault pointed it out that it hadn't occurred on the lap that got the Australian out of Q1, and that the time benefit was just one microsecond.
Read Also:
However, the stewards stressed that it wasn't necessary to demonstrate that there had been an advantage, and that the precedent for any clear technical offences was exclusion. Ricciardo lost his eighth place, and had to start from the back of the grid.
Abiteboul believes that some margin should be built into the system, and that for the good of the show less draconian penalties could be applied.
"It's a bit sad because we all know the fans want less penalties, that's obvious," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.
"It's strange because on the one side you can see that on the race track Michael Masi is coming with a new doctrine, the black and white flag, a sort of yellow card, so we're trying to be sensible about the regulations and the impact on the sport and the show.
"And on the other side we have this, and for me there is disconnect between the two that we can only regret because we were on the receiving end, and obviously you can't expect anything else from me.
"In my opinion in the future there has to be a discussion with the FIA on whether we want to follow more that system that is going on on the race track, or that strict application based on machines, not based on people.
"We will be able to save lots of money when we will be able to be governed by machines in the future.
"We're trying to be a bit less black and white on track. There are other precedents. The same thing happened to Pierre Gasly [a fuel flow irregularity in Baku] earlier in the season. I think some of the people at the FIA are losing the plot, in my opinion."
Race director Masi dismissed Abiteboul's suggestion, stressing that technical infringements are regarded as black and white.
"When it comes to technical infringements, Martin Brundle put it best, you're either pregnant or you're not," he said.
"It's one of those. I think everyone knows when it comes to technical infringements of that nature what the outcome is. You either are or you aren't.
"I can feel for Daniel, it was an error, and sadly it is what it is. Personally I think we're treading on dangerous territory when we're starting with technical infringements in particular building margins in upon margins."
One counter argument to Abiteboul's claims is that some leeway is built into the system in that technical delegate Jo Bauer often warns teams to address an issue without it necessarily going to the stewards, who then have no choice but to act.
It's understood that Renault had suffered similar power spikes in practice sessions in previous races and had been encouraged to address the issue.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Wolff: “Never say never” about Vandoorne, de Vries in F1
Next article McLaren considering "conceptual changes" for 2020 F1 car
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
More from
Renault F1 Team
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
Formula 1
Formula 1
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Formula 1
Formula 1
Monaco GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Latest news
Christian Horner admits that F1 rivalry with Toto Wolff became "theatre"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 7 min
Christian Horner admits that F1 rivalry with Toto Wolff became "theatre"
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
6 h
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
9 h
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 11 h
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe