The dilemma of protest in F1: 'You've got to pick your fights'

The rulebook in Formula One is fist-thick. Every team, therefore, employs a specialist who knows the 2023 Formula One Sporting Regulations book almost by heart. At Aston Martin that is Andy Stevenson, employed since the time the team was called Jordan.

At the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Stevenson proved his worth not for the first time. After Fernando Alonso received a ten-second penalty, the Briton immediately set to work to challenge the penalty (successfully in hindsight). To do so, he not only dives into the regulations but also boasts vast knowledge. The latter is not something Stevenson acquired lightly, he tells his team's official website.

"Every off-season, I watch replays of races – endlessly," Stevenson says. "It drives my wife crazy, but I do it to remind myself of what's happened and the precedents that have been set so I can be prepared for the challenging moments we'll inevitably face in the season ahead. And, obviously, I do a lot of preparation with the Sporting Regulations – you have to know them inside out."

During a season, there are regularly things that Aston Martin is not happy about. That doesn't mean contacting the FIA for everything. "You've got to pick your fights. You can't always be in the ear of the FIA. Sometimes decisions won't go in your favour, but you've got to roll with it. When it's fairly clear-cut or something that you're going to gain from, that's when you go in to fight your corner", Stevenson believes.