Williams’ lawsuit, which challenged Carlos Sainz’s penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix, will be evaluated by the FIA today.
Representatives from both Williams and the Racing Bulls teams were summoned for a virtual right to review Whearing with FIA Stewards on Friday, September 12th, discussing Sainz’s 10-second penalty for his clash with Liam Lawson in Turn 1 at Zandvoort.
The hearing will take place in two parts. If Williams’ right to review is deemed to be granted in the first part, a second hearing will be held to determine the case itself.
To go further, Williams must present new evidence that was not available to the stewards at the time of the original investigation due to the right to review.
The FIA subpoena read:
“The hearing will be held effectively through video conferences, with details provided by individual communications.
“It should be noted that this hearing will be held in two parts. The first part is to hear evidence and submission from the petitioner as to whether “there are significant and relevant new elements that are not available to the parties seeking examination at the time of the relevant decision.”
“If the steward decides that such an element exists in accordance with Article 14.3 of the FIA International Sports Code, the second part of the hearing will be convened immediately after the first part of the hearing to be advised.
Size and Lawson collided at Zandvault
What is Williams trying to change?
Williams confirmed that he submitted the rights to a review request prior to the Italian Grand Prix last weekend.
Although the penalty itself cannot be overturned as it was offered during the race, Williams wants to reverse the two penalty points the sign picked up at his super-height.
Williams also called for clarification on the F1 race rules, saying in a statement at the time:
Sainz, who finished 13th in Zandvoort, declared the penalty at the time as “a complete joke.”
“It was very clear to me that as soon as they saw where they needed to get all the evidence right and make the right decision, they realized that perhaps the decisions they had been decided weren’t the best,” Sign told Monza.
“Now we’re trying to see if we can come up with enough evidence to change the outcome of the penalty because I firmly believe it is a very poor penalty and bad judgment I’ve received.
“If there was any misunderstanding or lack of evidence or analysis, there’s still time to reanalyze it, open it again and change it. I think it was a very difficult Sunday to look back on it. They had a very busy afternoon.
“But I still firmly believe in what I thought after the race. Now, with a cool head, I still believe that the penalty is unacceptable, and I have made it very clear.”