F1 Today | Qatar meeting and FIA departures reaction, Norris shades Perez
F1 News
It's the penultimate race weekend of the 2024 season at the Qatar Grand Prix, but there is still time to sort out rules and regulations that have been an issue throughout the season. Today, there has been reaction from drivers about the meeting between themselves and the FIA to discuss issues, as well as the recent departures from the governing body. As well as this, Lando Norris sent a shot towards Sergio Perez during the press day, with the Mexican also talking about his contract situation again.
Drivers and FIA "in agreement" but confused at the recent departures
Today, in Qatar, a meeting between drivers and the FIA was held in the hopes of improving the rules and regulations surrounding overtaking and the penalties that go with it after questionable calls, most notably at the United States Grand Prix.
Grand Prix Drivers' Association director George Russell spoke about the meeting to several media sources, including GPblog, and said that everyone involved "are in agreement" after their chat, hoping that overtaking will not change too much, but that the ruling of it may be tweaked.
However, another aspect that was mentioned was the changes that are being made to the FIA. Before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the then-race director Niels Wittich left his post, and just after the Grand Prix in the 'Sin City', lead steward Tim Mayer was sacked by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Russell said there's still been no explanation as to why Wittich left his role, and that drivers would "love to get a little bit of clarity and understanding of what's going on and who's getting fired next."
Max Verstappen also had his say on the matter, saying that "it's not ideal" to see two quick departures from the governing body of the sport. The fired Mayer has also spoken out since he lost his job, saying that it "does not speak well of the management of the federation."
Norris fires a shot towards Perez
While the drivers' title was decided last weekend in Las Vegas, the constructors' title is still up for grabs, with McLaren and Ferrari the two teams looking likely to win the championship. Red Bull sits in third, with poor performances from Sergio Perez resulting in a loss in ground to the other two teams.
In Qatar today, Lando Norris was asked about the battle in the championship, and during that, he said "Red Red Bull probably would have won the constructors if they had two drivers as good as Max, that's for sure." It may not have been directed straight at Perez, but it was clear what drivers' also think about some of the Mexican's performances this season.
Perez stands strong about his future
On his future at Red Bull Racing, Perez is still confident about his future. There is still lots of speculation surrounding his chance at keeping the seat in the Austrian team, with both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson vying for the opportunity.
However, while speaking to the media today, Perez said that there was "a reason why [Red Bull] extended my contract." There was no more comment made my the Mexican on the matter, saying that he has not done it throughout his whole F1 career. But if there was any indication on how he was feeling about his 2025 chances, he gave them today.
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