FIA 'shame' for 'wrong decision' after 300..

FIA ‘shame’ for ‘wrong decision’ after 300…read more

Former Ferrari general manager and current F1 commentator Peter Windsor has strongly criticized the FIA for failing to penalize an incident involving Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during the recent Spanish Grand Prix. The controversial moment occurred shortly after a safety car restart, as Leclerc overtook Verstappen on the main straight. The two drivers made contact at speeds exceeding 300 km/h, though no damage was sustained by either car.

Despite the collision, FIA-appointed race stewards chose not to impose any penalties, even after summoning both drivers post-race for review. The stewards stated that both Leclerc and Verstappen believed the incident was avoidable, but neither was found to be predominantly or wholly at fault. Thus, no further action was taken. However, Windsor has since called the FIA’s decision a “shame,” arguing that the governing body failed in its responsibility to maintain safety and fairness.

Tensions escalated further when Leclerc later admitted that he had intentionally moved to the left in an attempt to prevent Verstappen from gaining a slipstream behind the McLaren cars ahead. According to Windsor, this admission undermines the FIA’s earlier claim that both drivers shared equal responsibility. “If Charles is now saying ‘well yeah it was basically me,’ then the FIA is wrong in their assessment,” Windsor said on his YouTube channel. “They should be correcting that now and apologising, and they should be taking some sort of action, because that is inexcusable—I keep saying 300+ kph.”

Windsor didn’t stop there. He expressed deep concern over the nature of the collision, emphasizing the potential severity of an incident occurring at such high speeds, especially on a straight section of the track. “The worst accidents we can have in Formula 1 now are going to be on the straight,” he warned. “There’s less run-off area, there’s no real protection on the barriers, and they’re very, very high-speed. That’s why this needs to be jumped upon.”

The former Ferrari boss praised Leclerc for owning up to his role in the incident and offering an apology, but maintained that the FIA must act in light of new information. “Now that we know Charles has said that, and he’s correct to apologise, something needs to be done,” Windsor insisted.

Adding to the controversy, Verstappen also drew criticism for a separate altercation involving George Russell during the same race. The Dutch driver received a 10-second penalty after appearing to deliberately steer into Russell, adding further scrutiny to his conduct over the race weekend.

As the F1 paddock shifts its focus to the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, the FIA has yet to issue any update or revised stance on the Leclerc-Verstappen clash. GPFans has reportedly reached out to the FIA for comment, though the responsibility ultimately lies with the independent race stewards who reviewed the incident.

With media day in Canada fast approaching, Verstappen is expected to face questions about both controversial moments. The Leclerc collision in particular may continue to cast a shadow over the FIA’s officiating standards as calls for accountability grow louder.