Autobayng News Team
Red Bull and McLaren’s team bosses have promised this weekend’s championship-deciding race involving three of their drivers will be a clean contest.
Both McLaren drivers and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen have the chance to win the championship in Sunday’s season finale.
McLaren’s Zak Brown and Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies did not rule out the possibility of using one of their drivers to tactically delay a rival in the race – as the latter team did the last time the F1 title went down to the final race – but insisted they will not resort to dubious tactics.
“We’re going to race cleanly,” said Brown. “Obviously, strategy comes into play, but I like everyone on the Formula 1 grid, and I think we’re here to race hard, race clean. So that’s exactly [how] I expect the race will play out.
“We all have multiple cars, et cetera, so you’ll be smart and strategic, but I think it’ll be a very healthy battle to the finish.”
Mekies said “it’s quite refreshing to see that we’re not even discussing whether we are going to race cleanly or not – it’s a given that the guys out there will race cleanly.”
Verstappen’s team mate Yuki Tsunoda is the only driver from the two teams not in contention for the championship. Mekies said he could play a role in assisting Verstappen.
“Do we need a strong Yuki to put as many cars between Max and the rest of the group if we are strong enough to lead with Max? Yes. So, we need a strong Yuki. We need a strong Mercedes. We need a strong Ferrari. We need a strong everything.
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“But as Zak said, it’s going to be, I’m sure, a fantastic fight, and it will keep us all very awake until the last lap.”
The last world championship fight which was decided at the final round was an often ill-tempered affair which led the FIA to warn the drivers before the last race to avoid any unsporting manoeuvres.
Verstappen and rival Lewis Hamilton collided several times over the course of the season. The Red Bull driver, who led the points standings over the final rounds, was accused of brake-testing Hamilton at the penultimate round.
Between that race and the season finale FIA race director Michael Masi issued a reminder to competitors about several points in the International Sporting Code relating to unsporting conduct and the potential range of penalties for it, including points deductions. He issued the warning in the race director’s event notes ahead of the event; F1’s current race director Rui Marques has not chosen to do the same ahead of this weekend’s race.
Some past championships have been decided through collisions between the contenders – notably in 1989, 1990 and 1994. In 1997 the FIA disqualified Michael Schumacher from the results of the world championship for colliding with his championship rival Jacques Villeneuve in the final round. However Villeneuve had already won the title regardless of Schumacher’s penalty and the question of whether the FIA would retroactively confiscate points from a driver who won a title by colliding with a rival has never been put to the test.
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The FIA’s 2021 warning to the championship contenders
When Verstappen and Hamilton went into the final round of 2021 level on points the FIA’s F1 race director at the time, Michael Masi, used his pre-race notes to issue a reminder of four items in the International Sporting Code. These included warnings against “attempt[s] to influence the result of a competition in a way that is contrary to sporting ethics” and a reminder that the FIA has the power to confiscate points:
All competitors and drivers are reminded of the various requirements detailed in the FIA International Sporting Code. In particular I would like to remind you of the following articles detailed below.
29.2 Article 9.15.1
“The competitor shall be responsible for all acts or omissions on the part of any person taking part in, or providing a service in connection with, a competition or a championship on their behalf, including in particular their employees, direct or indirect, their drivers, mechanics, consultants, service providers, or passengers, as well as any person to whom the competitor has allowed access to the reserved areas.”
29.3 Article 12.2.1 – Breach of Rules and in particular Article 12.2.1.l
“Any infringement of the principles of fairness in competition, behaviour in an unsportsmanlike manner or attempt to influence the result of a competition in a way that is contrary to sporting ethics.”
29.4 Article 12.4.5
“For all the FIA championships, cups, challenges, trophies or series, the stewards may also decide to impose the following penalties: suspension for one or more competitions, withdrawal of points for the championship, cup, challenge, trophy, series.”
29.5 Article 12.4.5.a
“Points should not be deducted separately from drivers and competitors, save in exceptional circumstances.”
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2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Team bosses promise ‘clean’ fight as FIA does not repeat 2021 warning to contenders
- “The world discovered an even more extraordinary Max this season” – Mekies
- Data: Rapid midfielders could surprise championship contenders in qualifying
- Verstappen happy with Red Bull’s balance, Tsunoda mystified by lack of pace
- Piastri unconcerned at ending Friday practice 11th after missing first session
