McLaren Challenges FIA over Controversial Yellow Flag Incident at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

McLaren initiates discussions with FIA about questionable yellow flag incident

"In my view, according to the rules, this incident was not supposed to occur. We suffered because of it, but we're not backing down."

McLaren F1 leader Andrea Stella is of the opinion that the FIA erred in its decision regarding the yellow flag incident, which adversely affected Lando Norris' qualifying round at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Norris had to cut his last lap short in Q1 because Esteban Ocon was moving slowly.

Ocon experienced a tire blowout and was moving at a reduced speed while making his way back to the pits.

As he made his way towards Turn 16 during his last attempt in Q1, the yellow flag was momentarily displayed.

Norris had to ease off the accelerator, spoiling his lap time, then veered off course.

Failing to advance, Norris was ousted in Q2 and will start from the 17th position on the grid for the race in Baku on Sunday.

In a conversation with Sky Sports following the event, Stella expressed his annoyance regarding the issue with the flags.

"Stella expressed disappointment, noting that the other vehicle will start from the end of the lineup tomorrow. 'Our aim is to climb back into a scoring position and mitigate the effects, though it's clear that today was particularly unlucky for Lando,' he stated."

"We were in talks with the FIA to understand the reason behind the yellow flag being shown at that particular moment, which had significant consequences."

Stella believes the yellow flag that interrupted Norris' lap was "unnecessary."

Stella clarified that the team hadn't mentioned it earlier because the information was presented at the last moment. Upon checking their systems immediately, they found that it was indeed marked as a yellow flag situation. This prompted discussions with the FIA regarding the reason for this, especially since a yellow flag is not typically required for a car that is simply moving slowly and not in the midst of a competitive lap.

"I believe everyone put in their utmost effort, however, this instance presented circumstances that, both in principle and according to the rules, ought not to have occurred. We faced the consequences, yet we remain undeterred.

"Progressing forward, we aim to perform optimally tomorrow to secure favorable outcomes."

The positive update for McLaren is that their vehicle shows impressive speed, as demonstrated by Oscar Piastri's performance in the qualifying rounds.

Piastri clinched the runner-up position, finishing just behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

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