In modern Formula 1, teams no longer rely solely on internal data when challenging a stewarding decision. Every image, every audio recording, and every publicly available detail can potentially become evidence. In the digital age, it is clear that appeals are no longer won only in the garage, but also through the media, on social networks, and even during private meetings.
From Sky Pad to social media: the search for “new evidence”
Teams have the right to appeal steward decisions, but only if they can present elements that have not previously been examined. This rule has pushed teams into increasingly creative territory, as demonstrated by Ferrari’s case at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix.
In an attempt to defend Sebastian Vettel from the five-second penalty he received for rejoining the track unsafely in front of Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari included among its evidence “a video analysis conducted by Karun Chandhok for Sky Sports after the race.” It was content originally produced for the viewing audience rather than for a sporting tribunal.
The stewards acknowledged that the footage was indeed “new,” but concluded that it was neither “significant nor relevant,” since it amounted to the opinion of a third party. As a result, the penalty remained in place and Sebastian Vettel finished the race in second position.
One year later, during the chaotic opening phase of the 2020 season, Red Bull successfully used social media content to overturn a decision. A 360-degree video from Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, published on Formula 1’s official social media channels, clearly showed a flashing yellow warning panel during qualifying in Austria.
That detail had not been available to the stewards in real time. Once reviewed, it resulted in a three-place grid penalty for Lewis Hamilton being imposed less than an hour before the race.
A similar attempt followed in 2021, when Red Bull explored another avenue. The team recreated Hamilton’s racing line through Copse Corner using a simulation driven by Alexander Albon. The objective was to demonstrate that the collision with Max Verstappen had been unavoidable.
However, the stewards rejected the submission. Their reasoning was straightforward: the evidence had not been “discovered” after the event, but rather “created” specifically for the appeal.
When a watch is enough: successful appeals and impossible ones
Complex data and spectacular videos are not always necessary to secure a review of a decision. A perfect example came at the 2022 United States Grand Prix, when Alpine managed to overturn the 30-second penalty imposed on Fernando Alonso thanks to what appeared to be a surprisingly simple detail: timing.
Haas had submitted its protest 24 minutes after the 30-minute deadline had expired. Although the FIA initially accepted the protest, Alpine used that fact itself as “new evidence” and ultimately succeeded in winning the appeal.
Creativity, however, does not always pay off. In 2023, McLaren attempted to defend Lando Norris against a penalty for “unsportsmanlike conduct” behind the Safety Car during the Canadian Grand Prix.
Among the evidence presented was the record of a sporting directors’ meeting, which McLaren claimed demonstrated a consensus that such an infringement should not be penalized.
Williams disputed that any such consensus existed, and the stewards were unequivocal in their response. Informal discussions and so-called “gentlemen’s agreements” could not be considered evidence. The appeal was rejected and Lando Norris remained classified in thirteenth place.
In the digital era, virtually any piece of content can become a weapon in the attempt to overturn a penalty. Sky Pad analyses, social media videos, 360-degree cameras, internal documents, and even a simple watch have all played a role in Formula 1 appeals. Yet creativity alone is not enough.
What truly matters is the ability to demonstrate that a piece of evidence is new, significant, and relevant. That is the line separating a successful appeal from one destined to fail: not how spectacular the evidence appears, but whether it genuinely has the power to change the stewards’ assessment of the incident.
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