F1 | FIA and penalties: double standards only when Red Bull is involved – teams demand explanation. FIA and penalties: double standards only when Red Bull is involved.

Formula 1 teams are seeking explanations from the FIA regarding the double standards in penalties, citing the case of Red Bull in Singapore. The FIA and its double standards with penalties have raised concerns among teams in Formula 1. Some feel they are consistently at a disadvantage compared to others who seem to get away with it.

The controversy stems from the glaring case during the Singapore Grand Prix qualifying session. According to German automobile magazine Auto Motor und Sport, several teams are seeking explanations behind the lack of penalties imposed on Red Bull.

Who gets penalized and who doesn’t
During that session, there were discussions of several cases of impeding. The first case involved Logan Sargeant, who received a warning and a fine for impeding Lance Stroll during qualifying. The Williams driver had complained because he had arrived late at the hearing, and the verdict had already been issued.

Now, let’s turn to the case of Max Verstappen, which has stirred the most controversy. The Red Bull driver was involved in two impeding incidents during qualifying: first against Yuki Tsunoda, then Logan Sargeant, and finally, he obstructed the pit lane exit. Verstappen was surprisingly spared by the FIA, which decided to issue him two reprimands and a fine.

What raised eyebrows is that no one from AlphaTauri decided to appeal the impeding incident involving Tsunoda.

Several teams have expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation, stating unanimously that their drivers “would have already received a grid penalty.”

According to Auto Motor und Sport, several teams have come to the conclusion that there might be favoritism from the FIA, especially considering that Sergio Pérez caused issues for three drivers during the race, forcing them to retire. And what did he receive in the end? Only a five-second penalty that didn’t impact the result.

To clarify the situation, many teams at Suzuka would like to have a meeting with the governing body to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future.