Steiner not happy with FIA: 'We need to discuss how this can be improved'

F1 News

steiner critical of fia after chaos melbourne
22 April 2023 at 10:21
Last update 22 April 2023 at 13:07
  • GPblog.com

Guenther Steiner says it is high time the FIA took another look at Formula 1's restart procedures. The Haas team boss is unhappy with the chaos that ensued in the closing stages of the Australian Grand Prix, where a record three red flags came out.

Race control decided to carry out two standing restarts, the last of which took place with two laps to go. Combined with the cooled temperatures of both the tyres and asphalt at Albert Park, the massive chaos that followed was inevitable.

Steiner criticises FIA

The FIA received a lot of criticism for the course of events in Melbourne and Steiner is also unhappy with race director Niels Wittich's conduct. "The third red flag was completely unnecessary and just delayed the finish of the race for half an hour," he said in conversation with Sky Sports.

"Everybody knew at the second restart that if there was another red flag the race would start behind the Safety Car and go to the end behind the Safety Car, why not put the Safety Car out straight away and finish the race and let everybody go home? I think there need to be some discussions on how we can do this better," the Haas team boss continued.

Steiner wants F1 to start using GPS

Haas filed a protest after the race because the team disagreed with the starting order for the final, rolling restart behind the safety car. The team received a negative response, but Steiner believes the order could be determined in a better way.

"With the technology that we have these days, GPS is accurate enough - we use GPS for the blue flag for example. They say it's not accurate enough for a finishing position yet it's accurate enough for a blue flag - we need to make our minds up about what it is and what it isn't. I really think there needs to be a lot of thinking," he explains.

He continued: "We could have frozen everything, via camera and via GPS, at the exact moment when the red flag came out." Steiner expects the subject to come up at the next F1 committee. " Let's see what comes up - people are a lot less outspoken in meetings like this about it but everyone will have their opinion."