James Vowles and RB have joined forces to demand that Formula 1 investigate Haas’ strategies from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Kevin Magnussen purposefully slowed down the field.
There is only one point separating sixth and tenth place in the standings, indicating what is already looking to be a fierce battle at the lower end of Formula One’s midfield.
James Vowles has questioned the Saudi GP strategies used by Haas.
Williams is in a battle; after two rounds, they are in seventh place, just behind Haas, who gained a point in Saudi Arabia.
But the way the team went about doing that has irritated their opponents.
Magnussen passed Yuki Tsunoda off the track, but rather than giving up the position, he accepted a 10-second penalty, which RB racing director Alan Permane referred to as “unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Rival team managers, however, are furious because he then purposefully slowed Tsunoda and those following him, including Alex Albon of Williams. The German was awarded P10 for the day when the Dane made that move to enable his teammate Nico Hulkenberg to open up a lead.
Albon crossed the line after Magnussen, but after Magnussen’s two 10-second penalties were applied, he finished P11 to the Dane’s 12th. The first of those was for colliding with Albon following the Safety Car restart earlier in the race.
Vowles thinks Williams lost a point because of Magnussen’s actions.
Vowles stated in the Williams debrief, “I know we had a car that could score a point there, and yet we walk away without anything to our name.”
“Well, that was partly because Magnussen forced Alex into the wall, damaging his car in the process, and got penalized for it. However, Magnussen later used strategy to clear a path through the rest of the field and gain an extra point for Hulkenberg.
“Let’s revisit that as an organization and a sport moving forward. Let’s ask ourselves whether or not those tactics are realistic or sportsmanlike.
It seems to me that’s not the way I want to race.
Albon, meanwhile, is worried that with the intense competition for points, Magnussen’s strategies might become standard.
He remarked, “You saw it this weekend.” Any team, in my opinion, would act in the same way if one driver were sacrificed in exchange for certain points.
Maybe the best teams won’t participate. However, you would always take advantage of any opportunity to score if you were a midfield team.
“I believe that more drivers may be doing it to ensure that a teammate receives points.”
He voiced his opinion on Magnussen’s penalty, describing it as a “bit cheeky” for passing Tsunoda off the track.
“You basically guarantee your team-mate points for a 10-second penalty,” he continued.
“Why don’t you act in that manner everywhere? The five to ten seconds isn’t right, in my opinion. I believe that you should just leave things as they are and return the position.
