McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has recently pinpointed Max Verstappen’s controversial driving style as a catalyst for the collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. This incident, escalating into a puncture predicament for both drivers, saw George Russell inherit the lead and secure victory at the Red Bull Ring.
Verstappen Penalized, Leads to Controversy
The event took a significant turn when stewards handed Verstappen a 10-second penalty, determining him solely responsible for the clash. Stella, vocal about his discontent, remarked that this episode wouldn’t have occurred had Verstappen been held accountable for similar misdemeanors in the past, notably during his heated title battle with Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
"The entire population of the world knows who was responsible except for a group of people," said Stella, candidly assessing the collision. He expressed concerns that the lack of stringent penalties in the past allowed Verstappen to develop a controversial driving style, one that resurfaced at an inopportune moment. "If you don't address these things honestly, they will come back. They weren't addressed properly in the past when there were fights with Lewis that needed to be punished in a harsher way," he added.
Concern Over Racing Regulations
Stella’s criticisms extend beyond the incident itself, as he called on the FIA to reassess and reinforce its racing rules. He argues that without tighter regulations and more substantial penalties, such incidents will continue to plague the sport. "The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective. When a car is out of the race, as a consequence, then the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome," Stella emphasized.
He pointed out that Verstappen’s aggressive maneuvers were not isolated to this race. "Before this episode, twice he moved in braking. It is evident that we have to enforce the way to go racing," Stella highlighted, illustrating his point on the necessity of robust and clear rules.
The Legacy of Unresolved Issues
For Stella, the current situation is a culmination of unresolved issues from previous seasons, exacerbated by competition and perceived injustices. "In every kind of human dynamics, if you don't address things, as soon as you introduce competition, as soon as you introduce a sense of injustice, these things escalate. It's like anything," he remarked, while reflecting on the broader impacts on the sport.
He described the incident as an outburst resulting from an "incomplete job" in managing driver behavior from past races. "Here there was incomplete job, let's say, that comes from the past, and is a legacy that as soon as there was a trigger, immediately there is an outburst."
Looking Forward: A Call for Change
Despite his frustrations, Stella sees this incident as an opportunity for the FIA and the sport to improve. He urges that existing rules be enforced more strictly and to ensure these regulations are not manipulated, preventing recurrent problematic driving behaviors. "So I think this one like I said before, this episode today should be taken as an opportunity to tighten up, to plump up the boundaries, and in fairness, enforcing some of the rules that are already in place," he suggested.
Furthermore, Stella emphasized the need for clear boundaries and unequivocal regulatory enforcement to prevent accidents, even if drivers realize the consequences only after several similar incidents. "But we need to be very clear that these rules cannot be abused in a way that then leaves a margin to do a couple of times the same manoeuvre, and you know the third time there is going to be an accident," he stated.
Impact on McLaren and Future of Racing
The incident had more than just regulatory implications; it had immediate consequences for McLaren and Norris. "For us, there's a lot of points gone. And a victory which I think Lando deserved to have the opportunity to have," Stella lamented. He expressed a desire for cleaner, fairer racing that doesn’t end in collisions. "It could have been Max, it could have been Lando. That's racing. But racing like with collisions, we don't like it," he affirmed.
As the dust settles from the Austrian Grand Prix, Stella’s comments resonate as a call to action. The motorsport community will be watching closely to see if the FIA takes this opportunity to refine their approach, ensuring the integrity and fairness of racing is upheld for seasons to come.