The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile is the top governing body regarding motor cars and is the highest authority in Formula 1. They work together with the marshals and stewards to ensure safe and lawful racing; they do this through FIA statutes and the FIA International Sporting Code. The organisation was founded in 1904, but a new system was put in place in 2010 by the FIA General Assembly. This changed rules and established an International Court of Appeal and International Tribunal.
In 2021 in the last race of the season, Max Verstappen won in Abu Dhabi, leading him to win the world championship with Red Bull, beating Lewis Hamilton. The win was the subject of worldwide controversy in regards to whether or not it was a valid and legal victory. Hamilton, who races for Mercedes, protested to stewards that FIA regulations had been breached; therefore, he should have won. However, in the final lap, the race director decided only the drivers who had been lapped between Verstappen in p2 and Hamilton in p1 had to unlap themselves.
This allowed Verstappen room to overtake and win the race. A second point of controversy was the decision that Verstappen could overtake in the same lap that cars were told to unlap themselves. Therefore, the big question is: was it illegal as Mercedes have claimed? Art.48 2021 Formula One Sporting Regulations dictates the ‘safety car’ procedures. 48.12 requires the safety car to complete an additional lap, which did not happen in Abu Dhabi. The director, Michael Masi, called the safety car to the pit lane before this could happen. However, this was completely legal as Art.15.3 explains that the race director has ‘overriding authority’ on the ‘use of the safety car’. It is also overridden by Art.48.13, which states, ‘when the clerk of the course decides it is safe to call in the safety car’, the message will be sent to all competitors.
The FIA came out with a statement explaining the decision and defending the race directors’ actions; this is important in retaining the critical ‘field of play doctrine’. This is an important overriding principle that allows the race director to officiate without legal interference. Mercedes did not decide to appeal after the decision was made.
For the 2022 F1 season, the FIA decided to update and clarify the wording in Art.55.13, which should now be unambiguous so that there is no room for interpretation and controversy in future races. The wording has been changed from ‘any’ cars to ‘all’ cars, so now it reads, ‘all cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car’. Therefore, the race director’s decision was legal, and not all lapped cars had to receive the order. The other point of controversy, which was allowing Verstappen to overtake on the same lap as the unlapping on the cars between him and Hamilton, was not changed prior to the 2022 season.
To conclude, as explained, the law surrounding safety cars and unlapping in 2021 was ambiguous, meaning the race director could interpret the code as he wished in the high-pressure moments of the last lap of the season. Therefore, Verstappen’s victory was legal and thoroughly deserved. Although some of the law has now been changed for the 2022 season, it is not retroactive so it cannot apply to races that have passed.
By Emily Rummey