The call by Toto Wolff and Fred Wasser was made on the grounds of “use of specific language” in the special press conference attended by the teams’ managers and which, according to the program, takes place after the first free tests in each race 3 days.

The reason for Wolff and Wasser’s “use of specific language” was the same: Carlos Sainz’s accident during the first tests in Vegas, in which he crashed his Ferrari into the protective covering of the lid of a sewer that had separated from asphalt, when it happened to Esteban Ocon’s Alpine seconds before.

The test was stopped after just 8.5 minutes, resulting in a 2.5 hour delay for the second period (FP2). In addition, Alpine replaced the chassis of Ocon’s A523 and Ferrari replaced the chassis, engine, gearbox, battery and central processing unit of the SF-23, which were destroyed in the incident. The cost of the accident for Ferrari was almost 2 million euros.

This is what Wasser said – clearly upset at the destruction of the entire three days for Saint, at a track that Ferrari had gone to with the hope of a win “This will cost us a fortune. Screw the exams for Carlos”.

This was preceded by Wasser’s refusal to engage in a discussion on this topic with Tom Clarkson, the moderator of the FIA ​​press conference. The Frenchman explained how “The situation is that we have completely destroyed the monocoque, the engine, the battery, and I think that is unacceptable.” Clarkson said at the time “Let’s look at the bigger picture”and Wasser interrupted him with the words: “That’s good, I don’t need a more general picture.”

Shortly afterwards, Wolff exploded when asked by a reporter who criticized the game’s organization for the incident. The Austrian defended the organization as follows: “They’re trying to close the lids and no one will talk about it tomorrow.” At that moment a shout came from the audience “will speak“, from the British Daily Mail correspondent, and Wolff exploded.

“Did you ask the question? It’s completely ridiculous, completely ridiculous! How dare anyone speak ill of an event that sets new standards in everything? And then you talk about a damn manhole cover coming off, that’s happened in the past and it’s nothing, it’s just the first tests.”said the Austrian.

Following this, the FIA ​​​​called Vasser and Wolff before the sports stewards today (November 23rd) at 5:00 p.m. (local time) to apologize and check whether the two directors violated the article of the FIA ​​racing law about what it works “Words, actions or writings that have caused moral harm or loss FIA, towards its bodies, its members or its administrators and its general interests Motorsport and defended in its values ​​by FIA”.

Her call was preceded by a detailed report from the FIA ​​media delegate about the events at the press conference in Las Vegas on November 16th. We recall that earlier this year Haas F1 director Günter Steiner was reprimanded for his comments on the FIA’s handling of the Monaco GP incidents, where Nico Hulkenberg was penalized for his accident on the first lap of the race.