The only ‘problem’ for Aussie ahead of F1 debut; Red Bull boss blasts ‘hysterical’ star: Pit Talk

The Formula One season is entering its final week, with the constructors’ championship on the line while an Australian will be making his F1 debut too.

There is plenty to look forward to and plenty to look back on as well after a chaotic Qatar Grand Prix.

Read on for the latest news from around the grid in F1 Pit Talk!

Every qualifying session and race from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

THE ONLY ‘PROBLEM’ FOR AUSSIE AHEAD OF FIRST F1 DRIVE

Australian Jack Doohan has been given a valuable opportunity to get some Formula One experience under his belt before the new year, although expectations — at least externally — will be high given the performances of other rookies on the grid in 2024.

While many Australians F1 fans will be tuning into the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to see if countryman Oscar Piastri can help McLaren secure the constructors’ championship, there is now added motivation to watch Monday morning’s race.

Alpine had already announced back in August that Doohan would be promoted to a full-time seat in 2025 to replace Esteban Ocon, who was joining Haas next year.

But now Ocon is moving on one race early as part of an agreement that will ensure he can take part in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi with Haas, opening the door for Doohan to get behind the wheel earlier than anticipated.

It is a big opportunity for the Australian and one that comes with plenty of pressure given the way fellow rookie Ollie Bearman has performed in previous fill-in situations.

Speaking to media, including the Formula One’s official website, Alpine boss Oliver Oakes said he was confident Doohan was ready for his moment in the spotlight.

“I think anyone who gets thrown into an F1 car in a race like that, it’s never easy to judge,” Oakes said.

“I think the problem is you’ve got the benchmark Bearman set, which was phenomenal in Saudi.

“You’ve got – and I mean this in a nice way because he’s hugely talented – Kimi [Antonelli] with the sort of pressure in Monza. But I think at the end of the day Jack’s just got to take it as he finds it.

“I think he’s professional enough to handle it. I think as well, once you ease into the weekend with FP1 and FP2, you can build up to it as well.”

RED BULL ADDS FUEL TO FIRE WITH ‘HYSTERICAL’ CLAIM

Elsewhere, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has added more fuel to the fire amid Max Verstappen’s simmering feud with Mercedes driver George Russell.

Verstappen made clear his feelings about Russell’s actions leading to him being stripped of pole position when he spoke out after winning Monday’s chaotic Qatar Grand Prix.

The newly-crowned four-time world champion said he felt “surprised and disappointed” by the Mercedes driver’s attempt to see him penalised after an incident during qualifying at the Losail International Circuit.

“I was surprised and disappointed in the stewards’ room,” said Verstappen.

“I have been in there many times, of course, but I have never before seen someone trying to screw someone else over that hard.”

It was later reported that the pair had been involved in a heated exchange of words before Monday’s race, with Verstappen seemingly only further motivated to win the Grand Prix because of it.

Horner said as much, at least according to motorsport.com, lifting the lid on the bad blood between the pair.

“I think he was disappointed with it,” Horner said of Verstappen, who was penalised for driving unnecessarily slowly during the qualifying session..

“I mean, if you look at it objectively, one could argue that perhaps George was driving a little too quickly on a slow lap with two slow cars ahead of him.

“So maybe he was driving recklessly. So you know, it was frustrating to get that penalty. But yeah, he was already motivated to win this race and I think it only added to his enthusiasm to get off the line well.”

Verstappen has been outspoken in accusations of bias towards him this year, even going as far as to say he has “the wrong passport”.

Horner didn’t think this weekend’s events were evidence of that though, instead suggesting it was more a product of “hysterics” from Russell.

“No, look, I think the penalty was more based on hysterics from George, who has been quite hysterical this weekend,” Horner said, describing it as a “little bit of gamesmanship”.

‘BRUTAL’ LANDO PENALTY, SAFETY CAR CALLS EXPLAINED

In other news, the FIA has explained why it hit McLaren star Lando Norris with a penalty which even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described as “brutal” in the wake of the Qatar Grand Prix.

Norris said after Monday’s race that he did not see the yellow flags, signaling that he should slow down, which led to him receiving a crushing 10-second stop-go penalty that wrecked his hopes of success.

It has also left McLaren waiting until the final weekend of the season to secure the constructors’ title, with Ferrari cutting the advantage to 21 points entering the last round.

Norris, who was penalised for failing to lift off in his McLaren while double yellow flags were being waved, later said it was a “fair” penalty but added he didn’t initially know what he did wrong.

McLaren race team boss Andrea Stella said the stewards had “lost any sense of proportion and specificity in the penalty” while rival team principal Wolff even conceded it was a “brutal” penalty.

But on Tuesday the FIA stood by the ruling in an explainer it released, detailing the decision-making behind not only the penalty but also criticisms of its Safety Car deployment.

“The penalty was in accordance with the penalty guidelines circulated to the teams on 19 February 2024,” the explainer from the FIA stated.

“A double yellow flag infringement is considered a serious compromise of safety, which is why such offences carry such a severe penalty.”

The double yellow flag came after Alex Albon’s wing mirror came off his car, leaving debris across the circuit which was later struck by the Sauber of Valtteri Bottas.

That, in turn, only further spread the debris over the track and eventually led to punctures for both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

A Safety Car was finally sent out after those two incidents to clear the field, with the FIA explaining why that call was made so late and whether any changes would be made to the process.

“Normal practice is for the Safety Car not to be deployed if there is a small amount of debris, and off the racing line,” the FIA wrote.

“The extensive debris after a car hit the mirror and the punctures that occurred shortly after forced the decision on a Safety Car.

“A VSC would not have been a solution, as the cars remain spread-out and there is not sufficient time for a marshal to clear the debris.

“The FIA constantly reviews its methods and processes and will analyse further the specific scenario, and discuss it with the teams, in order to see whether in the future a different course of action needs to be taken.”

The FIA also wrote that the lights malfunctioned during the second Safety Car period, leaving a confused race leader Max Verstappen vulnerable to Norris behind him.

“While the reason for the malfunction was identified and fixed, out of caution, the Safety Car was swapped in time for its third deployment,” the FIA added.