McLaren firm on FIA decision: 'There was new evidence in Norris' case'
While McLaren believed there is only a slim chance of their 'Right to Review' being successful following the controversy of the US Grand Prix. In Mexico, the stewards announced that the decision will remain. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella underlined he accepts the outcome, but does not believe the stewards have made the correct call.
Immediately after the US Grand Prix, Andrea Stella was not happy with the penalty Lando Norris received for overtaking Max Verstappen off the track, as the Italian said his driver was forced off the track. A Right to Review followed this week, even as the team had little faith in succeeding, as the team presented "new evidence."
"So in terms of my comments straight after the race related to the fact that we wouldn't have proceeded through a right of review, they were based on what I knew at the time but after we read the decision it became very clear that there was an element in the decision which was an element also in relation to what is required by the international sporting code to be a new relevant significant element to make the petition successful," Stella said in Mexico.
Stella and McLaren still have the same opinion
It is now clear that the stewards saw no reason in the defence put forward to review the penalty. "In relation to the outcome of the right of review of the petition, I can only refer to the statement. I feel the statement we have released is very clear, expresses our position, we disagreed with the interpretation of the stewards that this element wouldn't be significant, relevant and new."
"We thought that was actually the case but we remain thankful to the stewards for having considered the matter very rapidly, quickly and we keep as usual our constructive, supportive approach," the Italian concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen
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