The Grand Prix of Austria not only brought an exciting struggle on the track, but also a wave of speculation afterwards when Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson expressed his concerns about possible evidence that Lando Norris threatened to discuss. Norris, who won McLaren an impressive two victory for McLaren when he defeated his teammate Oscar Piatri, saw how his triumph was overshadowed by questions about the technical conformity of his car. Davidson pointed to pictures that were noticed during the race and which can indicate excessive wear of the base plate of Norris’ McLaren, a violation that can lead to disqualification according to strict FIA regulations. The President of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, immediately heard and emphasized that the rules would be strictly maintained.

The race on the Red Bull Ring was a triumph for McLaren, with Norris, who fought an intensive fight against Piatri from pole position. The British driver kept under immense pressure and won his second victory of the season, making him valuable points in Piatri in the rijder campaigns. After the breed, however, an analysis by Davidson steered on the Skypad. He noticed that during the race a cloud of dust constantly came from Norris’ car, which he believes he pointed out to the downfall of the lower plate. “I saw that throughout the race,” said Davidson. “I think that’s the car shield of the car.

The FIA ​​regulations around the lower plates are strict and leave little space for interpretation. Article 3.5.9 e) of the technical regulations states that the thickness of the base plate must be 10 mm ± 0.2 mm if it is new, whereby a minimum thickness of 9 mm is permitted as a result of wear. These measurements are checked at certain points on the shelf. At the beginning of this season, Lewis Hamilton experienced the consequences of this rule when he was disqualified in Shanghai due to excessive wear on the lower plate of his Ferrari. This precedent ensured that Davidson’s comments immediately left alarm bells in the paddock.

The FIA ​​reacted quickly to speculation. After a thorough inspection of Norris ‘Auto, the Motor Sport Union confirmed that all controlled parts met the technical regulations, so that Norris’ victory was retained. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA ​​President, emphasized the importance of strict compliance with the rules: “The integrity of sport is of the greatest importance. We have a zero tolerance directive when it comes to technical violations, and all cars are thoroughly checked to guarantee honesty.” This statement not only seemed to be a reaction to the situation around Norris, but also a warning to all teams that the FIA ​​does not compromise with regard to the technical regulations.

The result was a relief for Norris and McLaren. Team rincipal Andrea Stella praised the performance of his drivers and emphasized that the team has no risk of technical conformity. “We know how strict the rules are and we make sure that our cars always work within the borders,” said Stella. Nevertheless, the discussion about the lower plate in the paddock, especially since McLaren has shown several times this season that they have the fastest car, partly due to their ability to bring the car to the ground extremely low for additional outdoor grounds. In combination with the fast and bumpy nature of the red bull ring, this may have worsened the wear on the lower plate.

The speculations about Norris’ possible disqualification threw a shadow about what else was a wonderful weekend for McLaren. One or two finish was proof of the power of the team, which is increasingly putting pressure on Red Bull and Ferrari this season. For Norris personally, the victory after a series of races was an urgently needed thrust in which he had to deal with consistency in the qualifications. While Formula 1 is preparing for the Silverstone Grand Prix, the focus focuses on Norris and Piatri, which together form one of the strongest duos of the drivers from the field. FIA’s quick reaction and Ben Sulayem’s clear statement has recovered for the time being, but in Formula 1 a new controversy is never far away.