More controversy? The FIA has done everything right this time, sounds from Mercedes

Formula 1 had its 16th race of the season on Sunday, namely the Italian Grand Prix. And it was this one that was finished behind the safety car when Daniel Ricciardo shut his car down in the final laps. The FIA has subsequently explained its actions, with words of praise coming from Mercedes.

It was the 47th lap of the Italian Grand Prix when Ricciardo, in the McLaren, shut down his monocoque between the corners of Lesmo, which was simply betrayed by technology. The Australian driver was eventually knocked out of the race by an oil leak.

Race Direction first activated a virtual safety car, but then a conventional safety car took to the track, slowing down all the action at Monza and allowing the track marshals to get on with the job of clearing the car.

This left everyone involved wondering when the race would restart? But that wasn’t even possible due to the difficult procedure of driving behind the safety car, and so the Italian Grand Prix was finished under yellow flags.

Even after three more laps, Bernd Maylander and his safety car were unable to get all the monoblocs in the right order. Otherwise it is simply not possible to race again, as the rules clearly state.

Statement by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff

“There are rules that are very clear and written down for such events. There was a car parked on the track, there were track marshals and a crane. That’s why they didn’t let anyone pass (and therefore get the cars in the right order – ed.),” Wolff said in one of the post-race interviews.

“Then there was no time to restart the race. So if somebody is not happy with the rules and wants to have a big show with a big climax with two laps to go, then we have to change the rules. So I don’t think we should complain about what happened because those are the rules,” the Mercedes boss added.

“I’m really pleased to see that there is a race director and his colleagues who are enforcing the regulations against the pressure of the media, the fans and everybody to just break the rules. So, at least in that sense, Abu Dhabi has given the FIA more confidence in applying the regulations,” Wolff concluded.

Verstappen takes the win, Ferrari and Mercedes on the podium

The Italian Grand Prix was thus finished behind the safety car. And although the fans were deprived of a great show at the end of the race, the FIA clearly acted according to the rules.

Max Verstappen dominated the 16th round of the season ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

Source: F1 TV