Source: REUTERS/GABRIEL BOUYS
[Saba Sports News] During the recently concluded Spanish Grand Prix, the track contact between Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen sparked controversy. The race stewards eventually ruled that Verstappen caused the incident and was penalized with a 10-second penalty, dropping him from 5th place to 10th. Leclerc, however, received no penalty. Following the event, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko publicly expressed dissatisfaction, directly stating that FIA’s handling of the penalty was inappropriate. Marko argued that both incidents involved collisions, yet Leclerc’s actions went unpunished while Verstappen faced severe penalties, which he found unfair to their driver and affected Verstappen’s championship battle. Even champions like Nico Rosberg questioned the fairness of the judgment, indicating the wide attention and discussion the incident has generated. FIA needs to pay attention to these voices and reassess the rules and penalty processes to maintain its authority and impartiality. If controversies persist, they could damage the reputation and image of Formula 1 and lead spectators and fans to doubt the fairness of race results.