Stella Calls for Stricter Racing Rules After Austrian Grand Prix Collision
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has singled out Max Verstappen’s driving style as a catalyst for the collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. The incident, which punctured the tyres of both competitors, had far-reaching consequences in the race as George Russell inherited the lead and secured victory at the Red Bull Ring.
The stewards deemed Verstappen solely responsible for the clash and handed him a 10-second penalty. However, for Stella, this was not merely an isolated incident but a reflection of broader issues within the sport. Stella expressed frustration that similar incidents during Verstappen’s title battle with Lewis Hamilton in 2021 had not been properly addressed by the regulatory body.
"The entire population of the world knows who was responsible except for a group of people," Stella remarked, alluding to the stewards' perceived leniency. He went further, arguing, "If you don't address these things honestly, they will come back. They weren't addressed properly in the past when there were fights with Lewis that needed to be punished in a harsher way."
According to Stella, Verstappen’s aggressive maneuvers are not new. He highlighted that prior to the collision, Verstappen had moved twice during braking. "Before this episode, twice he moved in braking. It is evident that we have to enforce the way to go racing," Stella asserted, emphasizing the need for clearer rules and stricter enforcement to preserve fair competition.
The incident, Stella believes, underscores the need for urgent reassessment and reinforcement of racing regulations by the FIA. "In every kind of human dynamics, if you don't address things, as soon as you introduce competition, as soon as you introduce a sense of injustice, these things escalate. It's like anything," he explained, pointing out the inevitable consequences of unresolved issues from past seasons.
Stella sees this episode as a pivotal moment for the sport to establish more stringent boundaries and ensure unequivocal enforcement of regulations moving forward. "Here there was incomplete job, let's say, that comes from the past, and is a legacy that as soon as there was a trigger, immediately there is an outburst," Stella reflected. He continued, "So I think this one like I said before, this episode today should be taken as an opportunity to tighten up, to plump up the boundaries, and in fairness, enforcing some of the rules that are already in place."
The result of the collision had immediate repercussions for McLaren and Norris. Not only did it lead to lost points, but it also cost Norris a potential victory. "For us, there's a lot of points gone. And a victory which I think Lando deserved to have the opportunity to have," Stella lamented.
Ultimately, Stella’s call is for a cleaner, fairer approach to racing that minimizes risks and avoids collisions. "It could have been Max, it could have been Lando. That's racing. But racing like with collisions, we don't like it," he concluded. This sentiment echoes a desire within the sport for a balance between competitive spirit and safety, advocating for a racing environment driven by skill rather than aggressive tactics.