The FIA issued a written warning to Sergio Perez after the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi. The Mexican had to answer to the commissioners again after the race because he had insulted them on the radio as a “joke” and “really bad” after he received a five-second penalty after the collision with Lando Norris.
The commissioners explained to Perez that they have no problem if a driver does not agree with a decision. Comments that amount to personal insults, however, constitute a violation of the International Sports Code – in this specific case against Article 12.2.1 k), which regulates misconduct against officials, among other things.
That’s why Perez was officially warned.
However, the commissioners discovered that they were in obvious conflict on the matter, as they themselves were the subject of the comments on the radio. Normally the issue would have been passed on to the next commissioners, but as Abu Dhabi was the final race of the season the matter had to be resolved locally.
The statement states that Perez apologized “sincerely” to all commissioners and that he made the comments on the radio “in the heat of the moment” without considering that they would be broadcast.
Commissioners: Perez regrets statements
“He expressed regret that his comments had offended anyone or caused damage to the sport, which he said he wanted to avoid. The stewards accept his explanations and accept his apology,” the statement said.
However, it should be noted that Perez repeated his criticism into the TV microphones after the race and also described the commissioners there as “really bad”.
However, this was not discussed at the hearing. Instead, the FIA gave Perez a good reference: Perez was “not known for making such comments and always behaved extremely respectfully during hearings with the sports stewards.”
“The driver, the team manager and the stewards had a constructive discussion about the use and broadcast of team radio messages. The incident itself was also discussed in detail with the driver and although he still disagreed with the decision, he said he could understand the stewards’ perspective on the incident.”
Horner: Liuzzi used to be like that too
Meanwhile, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner shows understanding for his protégé’s statements: “I think he was just expressing his frustration,” he says, drawing a comparison to football: “The problem is that as a footballer you don’t have a microphone on your jersey when you complain,” said Horner.
He can understand the frustration that Perez lost a podium due to the penalty and believes that the FIA should take this fact into account in the assessment. “He drove a great race, so he vented. But unfortunately that outlet was broadcast.”
But before the verdict was announced, the Brit had another argument as to why the commissioners should exercise leniency: Vitantonio Liuzzi. The Italian was driver commissioner in Abu Dhabi at the weekend and is no stranger to Horner. Liuzzi drove a few races for Red Bull in 2005 and then for Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso for two more years.
“I think you have to take into account that the driver commissioner who is here this weekend is known to have had a few outbursts himself when he drove for me many years ago,” he smiles. “He was just lucky it wasn’t broadcast.”
The warning for Perez was not the first of its kind in Abu Dhabi. At the beginning of the weekend, Mercedes Motorsport boss Toto Wolff and Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur were also warned for their wrong choice of words in the press conference in Las Vegas.
Has the FIA become too sensitive about something like this? “For the FIA, as for any company or team, there is always room for improvement in all areas,” says Horner.