Renault Protest Grojean's Haas

[Paul Jeffrey]

Renault have lodged a protest against the legality of Romain Grosjean's Haas Ferrari following the conclusion of the Italian Grand Prix.

UPDATE: Grosjean disqualified

Statement from the Monza race stewards:

“While the Stewards are also sympathetic to the difficulties of producing these parts, the Stewards noted that at least one other competitor was able to comply in the time provided.

"Further, it was made clear to the competitor from the outset that the FIA Technical Department did not consider their car to be in compliance, and further that they left themselves open to the circumstances they now find. It was therefore the obligation of the competitor to be in compliance, which they did not do.”

Hass have been deemed to have a non compliant floor for the Monza round, a change in the car design that should have been complied to by the July 25th FIA deadline.

Haas have informed media of their intention to appeal.
....

Grosjean had a particularly strong race at Monza today, performing faultlessly throughout the weekend to record a rather quiet but very strong sixth place finish, moving his Haas Ferrari team into fourth place in the constructors championship ahead of chief rival Renault.

Perhaps somewhat helping make the decision more appealing, Renault have now lodged a protest with the Monza stewards about the Haas of Grosjean, with an outcome still to be confirmed.

“We confirm that Renault Sport Formula One Team has submitted a request to the Stewards of the Event for clarification on the legality of the Haas F1 Team VF-18,” read a statement from Renault, "We have no further comment on this matter until the Stewards have arrived at a decision."

According to the FIA's Race Director Charlie Whiting, the protest concerns "a small detail on the leading edge of the floor" of the Ferrari-powered Haas.

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[Koen Verlinde]

F1 will always be F1.

 

[Jason Mullin]

Politics aside, that is one outstanding picture.

 

[Warren Schembri]

While Renault is at it, they should also lodge a protest about Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull since they're cars were also faster

 

[RasmusGeertsen]

wauw that is a new low

 

[motoliser]

Who cares when there is MaxTorpedo on the loose!!!

 

[Kuckoo]

Seriously, Renault...?
A team leaps ahead of you in the Constructors Championship. Respond by filing a b***s**t protest.
...and make it look, like, totally legitimate by being the only ones to do so.

 

[Zieonn]

Well then LMAO

 

[BrainsBush]

Grosjean DQ'd

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/...-disqualified-technical-infringement/3170140/

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Okay wait.... Renault thinks just because their car/package at the race was slower than the Haas they have the right to protest against it...?

What type of ludicrous is this? Now if I was Haas I would protest against their engineers working on the Engine department because that C Spec sure proved to be a Crap Spec and Haas dont like how their fumes were in their drivers face.

LMAO That **** is funny as hell.. Man Renault sure got salty..

Erhm. Every team have the right to protest against any car, driver or team - if they are of the opinion that rules have been broken.
Which they had been done here.

It was a clarification on technical rules regarding the floors, it was sent out to every single team the 25th of July - and they had until the Monza weekend (so right over 1 month) to comply.
Haas asked to be allowed to run the illegal floor until Singapore, which they never got any clarification on - Renault had pushed for a clarification on this as well.
Haas were running a floor that did not comply to the rules, and had not changed it after the 25th of July clarification. Therefor they have been disqualified.

Personally I struggle to see Renault as the bad guys here - every team have had plenty of time to conform to the rule clarification, and I don't see the issue in actually protesting against illegal cars.

Some extracts from the protest and handling of it:
"Renault submitted that Art. 3.7.1.d of the Technical Regulations of the FIA Formula One World Championship state that a radius of 50mm (+/-2mm) must be applied to each front corner of the reference plane. (See Art.) The text of this Article was being applied differently by several different teams, and a clarification was sought. As a result, TD/033-18 was issued on the 25th of July, 2018 – which, in essence gave the teams until the Grand Prix of Monza to comply with the clarification indicated in the TD. Renault provided a picture that they claimed was of Car 8, which they stated shows that the part in question, at the start of the Grand Prix of Monza was not in compliance with art. 3.7.1.d of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, as clarified with the TD, and therefore they protested against the compliance of Car 8."

"The Stewards contacted the FIA’s Head of Single Seater Technical Matters, who confirmed the email chain referred to by Haas, but he also stated that in a subsequent conversation with Haas’ Head of Aero and representative on this matter, that he had stated that while he understood their supply problem, that if the car was not corrected by Monza – that they would leave themselves open to protest by other teams."

To add, here is the relevant rules.

"While the Stewards are also sympathetic to the difficulties of producing these parts, the Stewards noted that at least one other competitor was able to comply in the time provided. Further, it was made clear to the competitor from the outset that the FIA Technical Department did not consider their car to be in compliance, and further that they left themselves open to the circumstances they now find. It was therefore the obligation of the competitor to be in compliance, which they did not do"

To read the full decision from the FIA and stewards:
https://www.fia.com/file/72438/download?token=tISsFCi-

 

[larre90]

Can somebody explain me the reason behind this regulation? Are there any safetyconcerns with this part of the car?

 

[gamer19]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/grosjean-excluded-haas-italian-gp/3170264/

Yeah, seems like his result was real problem, what about Magnussen ?

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Can somebody explain me the reason behind this regulation? Are there any safetyconcerns with this part of the car?

It is like most other regulations, just a regulations to limit the creation of downforce, small air channels and other things.
It's also meant to keep cars from going over a certain width, not being able to create funny wings and so many other things.
To find a technical regulation and pinpoint the exact reason for that specific regulation is virtually impossible.

It's all a part of a huge ruleset that basically defines how an F1 car can look

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/grosjean-excluded-haas-italian-gp/3170264/

Yeah, seems like his result was real problem, what about Magnussen ?

If Magnussen had been in front, or gotten points from it, I am quite sure they would've protested that car as well.
The thing is though, if they were to protest Magnussens car as well, the FIA would first have to check, measure, control etc. Grosjeans car, seal the areas off. Then go and do the same process for Magnussens car.
Then they would have to go through extra work, spend extra time etc. on something that is virtually pointless.

Of course Renault does this because they don't want to lose out, or let Haas get points with a car that is illegal - at the same time, it's no point in creating extra work, with forcing the FIA do to the process twice.

 

[AyrtJ97]

Can somebody explain me the reason behind this regulation? Are there any safetyconcerns with this part of the car?

Maybe it's something about aerodynamics. Ground effect or something like that, so to have cars as equal as possible, they changed the regulation. But again, I'm only guessing here.

 

[Zieonn]

Erhm. Every team have the right to protest against any car, driver or team - if they are of the opinion that rules have been broken.
Which they had been done here.

It was a clarification on technical rules regarding the floors, it was sent out to every single team the 25th of July - and they had until the Monza weekend (so right over 1 month) to comply.
Haas asked to be allowed to run the illegal floor until Singapore, which they never got any clarification on - Renault had pushed for a clarification on this as well.
Haas were running a floor that did not comply to the rules, and had not changed it after the 25th of July clarification. Therefor they have been disqualified.

Personally I struggle to see Renault as the bad guys here - every team have had plenty of time to conform to the rule clarification, and I don't see the issue in actually protesting against illegal cars.

Some extracts from the protest and handling of it:
"Renault submitted that Art. 3.7.1.d of the Technical Regulations of the FIA Formula One World Championship state that a radius of 50mm (+/-2mm) must be applied to each front corner of the reference plane. (See Art.) The text of this Article was being applied differently by several different teams, and a clarification was sought. As a result, TD/033-18 was issued on the 25th of July, 2018 – which, in essence gave the teams until the Grand Prix of Monza to comply with the clarification indicated in the TD. Renault provided a picture that they claimed was of Car 8, which they stated shows that the part in question, at the start of the Grand Prix of Monza was not in compliance with art. 3.7.1.d of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, as clarified with the TD, and therefore they protested against the compliance of Car 8."

"The Stewards contacted the FIA’s Head of Single Seater Technical Matters, who confirmed the email chain referred to by Haas, but he also stated that in a subsequent conversation with Haas’ Head of Aero and representative on this matter, that he had stated that while he understood their supply problem, that if the car was not corrected by Monza – that they would leave themselves open to protest by other teams."

To add, here is the relevant rules.

"While the Stewards are also sympathetic to the difficulties of producing these parts, the Stewards noted that at least one other competitor was able to comply in the time provided. Further, it was made clear to the competitor from the outset that the FIA Technical Department did not consider their car to be in compliance, and further that they left themselves open to the circumstances they now find. It was therefore the obligation of the competitor to be in compliance, which they did not do"

To read the full decision from the FIA and stewards:
https://www.fia.com/file/72438/download?token=tISsFCi-

Just going to say, that is why I changed my post.. I read more of the issue plus it has been a issue for more than one weekend, so I dont see why they went on with the protest now but okay (At least that is what Croft said).

 

[Zieonn]

Can somebody explain me the reason behind this regulation? Are there any safetyconcerns with this part of the car?

It is something to help with eventuality, if one were to run a thinner floor they wont only be fast on the straight but also lighter, at least that is my take on the rule without reading it.

 

[Tberg]

I know of some faster cars that should be looked at...oh wait, none at FIA would ever take action.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

I know of some faster cars that should be looked at...oh wait, none at FIA would ever take action.

Well. If they don't get caught in a random check. Someone needs to protest it.

 

[Kuckoo]

Well, seems to be a matter of "fix it before you get there", or you might get called on it. And Haas got called on it.
I'm curious if Haas were the only team this weekend that had a non-compliant floor, or were they the only ones unfortunate enough to get fingered for it.