F1 champion calls for stewards to REVOKE ....

F1 champion calls for stewards to REVOKE …read more.

As Formula 1 heads to Yas Island for the final race of the 2024 season, a controversial incident has sparked debate. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend was set to be a dramatic one, not only because of the season’s conclusion but also due to several prominent drivers making their final appearances for their current teams. Among them, Lewis Hamilton was gearing up for his last race with Mercedes before joining Ferrari, while Carlos Sainz was set to race in his final event for Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Kevin Magnussen would also be bidding farewell to F1, with Magnussen stepping away from the sport altogether.

However, another key figure who would make his exit from his current team is Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver, who had a strong relationship with Haas, was preparing for a switch to Sauber in 2025. The Abu Dhabi GP weekend saw Hulkenberg impress once again, securing a remarkable fourth-place position in qualifying. But this achievement was soon overshadowed by a potential penalty.

Hulkenberg’s qualifying time was under threat after it was revealed that he would be investigated by the race stewards for an alleged infringement. The incident in question involved Hulkenberg overtaking another car on the pit exit road, which could be seen as a violation of Article 12.2.1 i) of the F1 sporting regulations. This led to speculation that Hulkenberg’s impressive qualifying performance, which saw him outpace Red Bull’s Max Verstappen despite having two attempts, might be compromised by a grid penalty.

In the build-up to the stewards’ decision, former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg took to the Sky Sports F1 broadcast to voice his support for Hulkenberg. Rosberg, who himself has been vocal in the past about F1 regulations, called for the stewards to show leniency and allow Hulkenberg to keep his position. He acknowledged the exceptional nature of Hulkenberg’s qualifying performance, calling it “genius” to be in a Haas car and outqualify Verstappen, who had been afforded two attempts at the lap.

Rosberg praised Hulkenberg’s consistency throughout the 2024 season, noting that this particular performance stood out as one of his best. “He’s been producing these kinds of results all season, but this one was especially remarkable,” Rosberg commented. He urged the stewards to “just close an eye for today” and allow the German driver to retain his fourth-place starting position, highlighting the significance of the achievement considering the performance disparity between the Haas and the Red Bull.

Despite Rosberg’s impassioned plea, the stewards ultimately decided to impose a three-place grid penalty on Hulkenberg for the infraction. This decision was a disappointment not only for Hulkenberg but also for fans who were eager to see a rare and exciting performance from a team like Haas, which typically struggles to compete at the front of the grid. The penalty meant that Hulkenberg would start the race from seventh instead of fourth, a blow to his hopes of securing a strong finish to the season.

The penalty also raised broader questions about the consistency of F1’s officiating and whether certain rules could be bent or overlooked in special circumstances. While Hulkenberg’s impressive qualifying performance was a highlight of the session, the controversy over the pit exit maneuver reminded many of the strict nature of F1’s rules, even when they may seem to overshadow a moment of brilliance.

As the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix approached, the final race of the 2024 season would surely be remembered for both the on-track drama and the off-track controversies that have become a hallmark of modern F1. Hulkenberg’s performance in qualifying was undoubtedly one of the talking points of the weekend, even though the penalty somewhat overshadowed the achievement. For Rosberg and many fans, the hope was that the stewards would have shown more flexibility in this instance, allowing the German driver to take full advantage of his standout performance.