Guenther Steiner, Sochi Autodrom, 2019

Steiner faces investigation over “idiotic steward” radio message

2019 Japanese Grand Prix

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Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is being investigated by the FIA stewards for his radio messages at the end of the Russian Grand Prix.

A statement from the stewards on Friday said Steiner was being investigated for an “alleged breach of Articles 12.1.1 c) and f) FIA International Sporting Code by the Haas F1 Team at 15:49, through the means of radio communications immediately following the display of the chequered flag for the 2019 Russian Grand Prix.”

The articles forbid “any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally” and “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers.”

Steiner criticised one of the stewards for a decision to give Kevin Magnussen a five-second time penalty during the race for cutting rejoining the track incorrectly when he went off at turn two.

“If we wouldn’t have a stupid, idiotic steward we would be eighth,” Steiner told Magnussen on the radio. Magnussen agreed, saying: “What a load of bullshit.”

Magnussen remains convinced the penalty decision was incorrect. “We were told one thing and I didn’t do what was said to be classified for a penalty,” he said at Suzuka yesterday.

“They said if you go completely to the left of the first element then you have to take both [bollards] and if you don’t get a penalty answer. But I went across them. So it’s not written anywhere what to do then. And then try to go there and take it, lost a lot of time. I think it was wrong and I think they know it was wrong.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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6 comments on “Steiner faces investigation over “idiotic steward” radio message”

  1. Guys a hothead and that’s why I love him, but that kinda talk doesn’t belong on the radio.

  2. @knewman: No, it certainly doesn’t belong on the radio or the Free-To-Paywall streams. That sort of language is what Liberty charges Netflix for.

  3. I immediately thought someone will be penaliaed for it, when I heard this radio message.

    Not sure why it took them that long, I would have slapped him with a fine right there.

  4. Maybe we need penalty points for the team personnel as well.

  5. 535.71 Euros for each letter.

  6. I think there nothing wrong in what Steiner said. the FIA has too many penalties as it is and I don’t see where “any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally” and “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers.” I think most fans feel that the FIA over-regulates F1 as it is.

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