McLaren filed a protest earlier this evening with the FIA. The team requested that Oscar Piastri’s canceled lap in qualifying be made valid again. The protest was ultimately rejected as deemed “inadmissible” by the commissioners.
Via a press release, the FIA explained the background of the decision:
“The commissioners first convened a hearing with McLaren to determine whether or not the protest was admissible. Present at this hearing were the team director, Andrea Stella, and the racing director, Randeep Singh. »
The protest was made in advance in writing to the race directors. Only 2 points of the complaint are highlighted in the report by the FIA. Firstly, the settlement in connection with the complaint was missing, which would have made it possible to conclude that there was an error of judgment. Afterwards : “It was not specified against whom the protest was filed.”. Furthermore, the subject of the complaint related to a decision of the commissioners… However “A decision of the commissioners is not subject to challenge. The commissioners therefore reject the protest because it is inadmissible.”
Oscar Piastri will therefore start from 7th position on the grid for the Grand Prix this Sunday. A hard blow for McLaren who have one less asset to bring down the king Verstappen in Austria.
