McLaren’s claim rejected by the FIA
McLaren's complaint was rejected by the stewards in the middle of the evening. It concerned Oscar Piastri. It would have allowed him to start 3rd on the grid on Sunday, rather than 7th.
McLaren filed a protest earlier in the evening to the FIA. The team requested that Oscar Piastri’s canceled lap in qualifying be reinstated. The protest was ultimately rejected as “inadmissible” by the stewards.
Through a press release, the FIA explained the details behind the decision:
« The stewards first convened a hearing with McLaren to determine the admissibility, or not, of the protest. Present at this hearing were the team principal, Andrea Stella, and the race director, Randeep Singh.
The protest was made beforehand in writing to the race directors. However, two points of the complaint are highlighted in the report by the FIA. First, the regulation related to the complaint was missing, which would have allowed to conclude an error in judgment. Then: « it was not specified against whom the protest had been filed ». Moreover, the subject of the complaint was related to a decision by the stewards… However, « a decision by the stewards is not open to challenge. The stewards therefore reject the protest as it is inadmissible. »
Oscar Piastri will indeed start from the 7th position on the grid for the Grand Prix this Sunday. A blow for McLaren who has one less asset to bring down King Verstappen in Austria.
