So Haas have petitioned for a Right of Review of the result of the United States Grand Prix and four teams have been summoned: Red Bull, Aston Martin, Williams, and Haas. Haas claim that F1’s track-limits rules were not appropriately applied during the Austin race two weeks ago.
The exact basis of the petition hasn’t been disclosed but it’s believed to likely pertain to the stewards perceived failure to penalise drivers for cutting the inside of the track at Turn 6. Alex Albon’s car is cited in the FIA’s summons documents.
Turn 6 was monitored by the FIA and Albon was investigated at the time but wasn’t handed a penalty.
“The stewards determine that – although there is an indication that track limits may have been violated at Turn 6 – the available evidence is not enough to accurately and consistently conclude that violations occurred,” the verdict read two weeks ago.
Albon isn’t alone as Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll are also in the firing line. Perez was found to be a repeat offender of track limits at Turn 6 based on available onboard footage as was Stroll.
Why are Haas doing this? Haas finished just outside the points at Austin in P11 and P14. If they can add penalties to those drivers ahead of them, they could gain some precious championship points to lift Haas from last in the standings.
Will Haas be successful? To do so, Haas will have to reveal whether a “significant and relevant new element is discovered in an FIA Championship that was not known to the parties at the time of the initial decision,” according to official documents.
The original ruling mentioned that the stewards look at all “available footage” but not CCTV footage. It is possible that Haas are trying to convince the stewards to look at CCTV footage.
Haas’ chances of success are pretty small given the recent history of the Right to Review. Haas tried it before in 2022, Red Bull requested on in 2021 after Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided at the British GP, Mercedes did the same thing later that year in Brazil.
Each of these reviews was dismissed.
There have been successful reviews such as when Lewis Hamilton was penalised after the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, when 360-degree camera footage of his car was discovered proving that he didn’t react to a yellow flag correctly.
Haas will probably need more evidence than that given the scope of their protest which again hurts their prospects of success. However, this may be read as a proverbial Hail Mary from the team to salvage as many points as they can trying to avoid last place in the Constructors’.
