Red Bull Lodges Request To Review Hamilton Penalty In British GP

Red Bull isn't letting go of the cars between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Verstappen ended up in the tyre wall with a massive 51G crash while Hamilton despite a 10-second penalty went on to win the race and closed off Verstappen's growing lead in the world championship. Red Bull has issued a request to the FIA to review the penalty given to Hamilton as it lobbies for a race ban for the reigning World Champion. The FIA has confirmed that in accordance with the international sporting code, Red Bull has lodged a petition which has been accepted. Red Bull is allowed to send three attendees in total including the team manager while Mercedes has been told that a team representative must attend the preliminary hearing. It will also be allowed to send three team members. 

"If, in Competitions forming part of an FIA Championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series, or of an international series, a significant and relevant new element is discovered which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned, the stewards who have given a ruling or, failing this, those designated by the FIA, may decide to re-examine their decision following a petition for review," says article 14 of the FIA international sporting code. 

FIA race director Michael Masi has been at the middle of the storm 

Red Bull will find it hard to get the decision reversed or get an added penalty for Hamilton. It will need to present new evidence which is deemed significant and relevant, something that's new and come to light in the aftermath of the incident. 

Red Bull could provide a witness statement from Max Verstappen who was not available for the hearing previously as he was transferred to a medical facility after the shunt. This is not the first time a team has invoked the right to review. In 2019 when Sebastian Vettel was handed a 5-second penalty in his duel with Hamilton which cost him the race win, Ferrari invoked the right to review unsuccessfully. 

Red Bull has also been looking at the data to present new evidence which suggests only Hamilton was to blame for the accident. As of now, while the stewards maintain the view of Hamilton being at fault, they also are of the view that Verstappen was partially to take the blame for it, though he wasn't penalised in the light of his crash which cost him 25 points. 

The shunt has caused some other headaches for Red Bull. It has a bill of $1.8 million because of the crash which reduces its budget thanks to the budget cap F1 has introduced in 2021. It inhibits its ability to develop and then there is the engine that reportedly has been fixed by Honda, but if it fails, Verstappen will have to incur grid place penalties which would be disastrous for his challenge to Hamilton's throne.