[Official] Australian Grand Prix 2024: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 3 of 24

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

rather, should the driver involved also factor into the review process, as well as reason and/or outcome?

I think the public answer would (and should) be "no". Privately I think what is reviewed, what is punished and how strong the punishment is likely has many un-official aspects.

For example if you have a driver who has recently had a few incidents that were questionable but not investigated or punished. I can imagine there may be a natural and maybe subconscious tendency to place that drivers under a microscope. That a further incident that might otherwise not trigger examination might be examined. Sort of a "they are due for punishment" type of thing. There might even be the reverse in that more experienced drivers might get a bit of extra "benefit of doubt" applied to them. I think it's only human nature. The stewards are not robots. I am not going to pretend I would do a better job.

Ideally... they would be robots and everything would be looked at with a very dispassionate and clear understanding as to when lines are crossed and with consistent, fair and proportional application of punishment.

Richard