Red Bull Fail In Appeal Against Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 British GP Penalty

Red Bull have failed in their appeal to have Lewis Hamilton’s ten-second time penalty at 2021 British Grand Prix reviewed.

Hamilton was controversially handed a 10s time penalty following an opening lap collision with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at Copse, in which the latter spun out after cutting across the Brit who was on inside of the corner.

Stewards however adjudged Hamilton predominantly at fault for the collision and hit him with the time penalty, although he fought back to snatch victory from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and cut his title deficit over Verstappen down to eight points.

Red Bull however were left furious and decided to exercise their right to a review of Hamilton’s penalty, presenting the following ‘alleged new evidence’:

• Slides created by Red Bull deriving from GPS data available to the team of both cars involved in the collision.
• Slides created by Red Bull deriving from GPS data to create comparisons to the line of Hamilton when he overtook Leclerc at same corner on Lap 50.
• Slides created by Red Bull which showed a lap simulation of the incident.
• Slides created by Red Bull re-enacting Hamilton’s line on Lap One ‘based on a lap allegedly driven by another driver (Alex Albon).

Stewards therefore based their conclusion on Article 14.1.1, which states that reviews are only successful if ‘a significant and relevant new element is discovered which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned,’ which required the following criteria to be met;

• Is a ‘new element’ of evidence.
• Is ‘significant’ and ‘relevant’
• Is ‘discovered’ instead of being created.
• Was unavailable to the competitor at the time of decision

Stewards consequently determined that Red Bull’s evidence failed to constitute ‘a new significant or relevant element’ which happened to be unavailable to competitor at time of decision, therefore dismissing their appeal.

Red Bull’s slides were also noted as of their creation rather than discovered evidence and based on GPS available to the team at time of decision, which ‘does not satisfy the requirements of Article 14′ of FIA International Sporting Code.

Mercedes afterwards released a team statement in which they welcomed the stewards’ decision to dismiss Red Bull’s appeal and now ‘look forward to’ continuing their title fight at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The reigning constructor champions also spoke of their hope that this decision ‘will mark the end of a concerted attempt by the senior management of Red Bull Racing to tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton, including in the documents submitted for their unsuccessful right of review.’