Toto Wolff & Fred Vasseur Walk Away Scot-Free as FIA Fails to Crack Whip on Offensive Conduct

The drain cover debacle at the Las Vegas GP. We all remember it, don’t we? It happened just eight minutes after the green lights came on in Las Vegas for the first time in four decades. As modern Formula 1 cars navigated the streets of Vegas, getting used to the new track and its challenges, disruption hit. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz went over a broken manhole cover on the main straight, which damaged his SF-23’s engine, battery, and monocoque. The incident left both Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur and Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff furious, but for different reasons.

Their fury is what led to them being called into the stewards’ room a week later at the Abu Dhabi GP. Even though they were angry for different reasons, the FIA’s reasoning to meet them was the same. Turns out, the governing body let them go scot-free.

Toto Wolff was “provoked,” and Frederic Vasseur was “upset”

As an organization that broadcasts events worldwide, suitable for all age groups, F1 doesn’t tolerate foul language on live TV. Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur both fell prey to precisely that. Considering the drain cover incident wasn’t Ferrari’s fault, and it had expenses because of it, Vasseur was understandably unhappy. In a press conference, he said, “We had a very tough FP1. It cost us a fortune, we f**ked up the session for Carlos. I think it’s just unacceptable for F1 today.”

On the other hand, Toto Wolff was unhappy that people blamed F1 and the Las Vegas GP organizers for the incident. He was upset because the media called it a “black eye” for the race and the sport. “How can you even dare talk bad about an event that sets the new standards to everything? And then you’re speaking about a f**king drain cover that’s come undone, that’s nothing.” That’s all it took for the FIA to call for a hearing for them at the Abu Dhabi GP. 

Per a statement by the FIA, “The purpose of the hearing will be to determine if there is a breach of Article 12.2.1.f of the FIA International Sporting Code and, if so, what if any action should follow.” Following the hearing, F1 journalist Chris Medland gave the verdict on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “A formal warning for each of Vasseur and Wolff over their use of certain language. Vasseur’s slight excuse was the FP1 incident and being upset by it. Wolff’s was that he was “provoked by an abrupt interjection,” and it’s not usual for him to use such language.”

The FIA wasn’t pleased with the language Wolff and Vasseur used. Understandably so. A few drivers, on the other hand, weren’t pleased with Wolff’s stance on the issue. Again, understandably so.

Read More: Carlos Sainz Takes Veiled Dig at Mercedes as Toto Wolff’s Apathetic Comment Starts War of Words

It was Toto Wolff against the drivers in Las Vegas

The broken drain cover was a safety hazard, and it caught two cars out—Esteban Ocon’s Alpine and Sainz’s Ferrari. Yes, it was the first time cars came out on track in Vegas. But seeing how much effort the organizers put into the build-up and the opening ceremony, did they do due diligence on the track? That was Daniel Ricciardo’s argument. “With all that happened today, you could ask some questions, like, did they do enough? I can’t sidestep that one. That is a safety concern,” explained Ricciardo.

Max Verstappen took direct aim at Toto Wolff. Considering the track in Las Vegas is a street circuit, it’s unsurprising that a problem like this arose. Even so, Verstappen wasn’t pleased. He added, “If it was [Wolff’s] car, he would have spoken differently. But I don’t expect anything less from him.” The Dutchman backed Vasseur’s outburst and explained how it could’ve been career-ending for Sainz. “We would have been very angry too, like Ferrari. Carlos also said that he didn’t feel his legs for a couple of seconds, so the accident could have been a lot worse.”

What were your thoughts on the incident? Were Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur’s outbursts justified?

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