Why the FIA ​​​​delayed the Qatar Safety Car and penalized Lando Norris

The FIA ​​has released a statement to clarify some of the decisions made during the Qatar Grand Prix after race management came under renewed scrutiny.

There were a number of incidents throughout the race, from late safety cars to seemingly harsh penalties, and the FIA ​​has now clarified how it came to these decisions.

The FIA ​​clarifies key decisions made during the Qatar Grand Prix

The first incident occurred after a wing mirror came off a car and landed on the track in the braking zone for Turn 1. But instead of an immediate safety car, race director Rui Marques delayed its deployment and raised a yellow flag in the pit lane.

Eventually the piece of debris was hit by Valtteri Bottas and shattered, becoming a major hazard and the safety car was deployed.

Regarding this particular incident, the FIA ​​said:

· Typically the safety car will not be deployed if there is a small amount of debris and it is outside the racing line.
· The extensive debris after a car hit the mirror and the tire damage that occurred shortly afterwards forced the decision to use a safety car.
· A VSC would not have been a solution as the cars remain spread out and a marshal does not have enough time to clear away the rubble.
· The FIA ​​is constantly reviewing its methods and processes and will further analyze the specific scenario and discuss it with the teams to see if a different approach is required in the future.

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During this yellow flag period, Lando Norris received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for failing to slow down for a yellow flag, a decision that many considered harsh at the time. However, the FIA ​​said it viewed Norris’ driving as a “serious safety impairment”.

Said:

· The penalty was in accordance with the penalty guidelines distributed to teams on February 19, 2024.
· A double violation of the yellow flag is considered a serious safety violation, which is why such violations are punished with such a high penalty.

Finally, during the second safety car phase, the lights on the car failed and were replaced by the backup light for the rest of the race.

The FIA ​​said:

· During the 2nd safety car phase, the lighting malfunctioned.
· All teams were verbally informed that the SC would arrive, so the restart took place as usual.
· While the cause of the malfunction was identified and corrected, out of an abundance of caution, the safety car was replaced in time for its third deployment.

Read more: Qatar GP conclusions: Sainz puts Hamilton and the FIA ​​under strict scrutiny