Is a DNF a Penalty? | Chaotic Weekend for Formula 1 in Australia | Grid Walk April 6, 2023

A chaotic Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix means a chaotic new episode of Grid Walk! Nicole stayed up way past her bedtime to watch the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Briana quizzes Nicole on different moments of the race to see if her “2 AM brain” will remember anything! Grid Walk heads back Into the Wild after the marathon of red flags done by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Along with multiple restarts the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix brought up an interesting penalty discussion regarding the FIA. Who can forget the heartbreaking radio from Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr.? Is the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) right that a DNF is punishment enough instead of a penalty? How did the FIA completely ignore the actions of Williams Racing driver Logan Sargeant? Are we only seeing the start of fights at BWT Alpine F1 Team between Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon?Nicole steps up on to her soapbox to give Red Bull Racing third driver Daniel Ricciardo all the reasons he should take the Haas F1 Team seat and return to the grid. Can Daniel Ricciardo be convinced or did the departure from Mclaren F1 Team discourage him from joining another team?Scuderia Ferrari takes over the Misery Corner on this week’s episode. The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was a tough one for both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr.. After a second DNF of the season, is Charles Leclerc just unlucky? Will Carlos Sainz be able to stay optimistic after his penalty pushed him out of the points in the F1 Australian Grand Prix.Briana and Nicole are back with one of a kind podiums for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Why did Scuderia AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda hop over a barricade? What were the hysterical quotes from British commentator Jolyon Palmer? Are things looking up for Oscar Piastri and Mclaren F1 Team? What were Nicole’s favorite Daniel Ricciardo moments? How is Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team utilizing team principal Toto Wolff for social media content?Grid Walk Reads The Rules so you don’t have to! Briana and Nicole break down the official rulebook to determine if Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen should have received a penalty for how he lined up on the grid at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Is this another inconsistent call by FIA? What was Lewis Hamilton asking the Mercedes F1 Team in an attempt to clear up the race confusion? This topic is fresh in the minds of Formula 1 fans after the recent penalties of Aston Martin F1 Team driver Fernando Alonso and Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon.Grid Walk is a weekly Formula 1 show that releases every Thursday. For daily F1 content follow @gridwalkshow on all social media platforms.

1. **Quiz on Race Incidents:**
- Nicole struggled to recall the driver who helped the engineers by dragging the tire cart during the long waiting period. The correct answer was Fernando Alonso.
- Julian Palmer, not a driver, made the comment "What are they investigating themselves?" during the standing restart investigation.
- Nico Hulkenberg's Ferrari engine failure on the final lap caused him to fall back significantly behind Haas.

2. **Resurgence of Hope and Red Bull's Reliability:**
- Mercedes showed improved pace, raising hopes for a more competitive season.
- Red Bull's reliability concerns emerged, with Max Verstappen experiencing an engine issue during qualifying.

3. **Ferrari's Struggles:**
- The team faced continued difficulties with their car's performance and reliability.
- Charles Leclerc crashed during qualifying, while Carlos Sainz received a penalty for an incident during the race.

4. **FIA's Controversial Decisions:**
- The FIA's handling of the race was heavily criticized, particularly their decisions regarding red flags, standing restarts, and penalty allocations.
- The inconsistent application of penalties, with Carlos Sainz receiving a penalty while Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant escaped punishment for similar incidents, drew criticism.
- The decision to reorder the race back to the order before the second standing restart, instead of maintaining the order after the restart, was also questioned.

5. **Potential Reduction in Practice Time:**
- The FIA is considering reducing practice time during race weekends to increase the unpredictability and excitement of races.
- The Australian Grand Prix provided a live test of this concept, with limited practice sessions due to the red flags and restarts.
- The impact of reduced practice time on driver performance and team strategies was discussed.

6. **Into the Wild:**
- The hosts criticized the FIA's decision-making and lack of clear communication during the race.
- The FIA's tendency to prioritize entertainment over safety and fair competition was questioned.
- The inconsistencies in penalty allocations and the lack of transparency in the decision-making process were highlighted.

7. **FIA's Red Flag Decisions:**
- The FIA's decision to red flag the race after safety incidents was debated.
- The lack of clear criteria for red flags and the potential manipulation of the rules for entertainment purposes were discussed.
- The need for better communication and transparency from the FIA was emphasized.

8. **Inconsistent Penalty Allocations:**
- The FIA's inconsistent approach to penalties, with Carlos Sainz receiving a penalty while Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant did not, was criticized.
- The hosts questioned the rationale behind the FIA's decisions and the lack of clarity in the penalty system.
- The impact of inconsistent penalties on driver morale and team strategies was discussed.

9. **Reordering of Race Order:**
- The FIA's decision to reorder the race back to the order before the second standing restart was analyzed.
- The hosts read Article 53.3 of the sporting regulations, which states that the order should be taken at the last point where all car positions could be determined.
- The confusion surrounding the timing screens and the different orders that were displayed was discussed.

**Daniel Ricciardo's Future**

* Klein makes a passionate case for Daniel Ricciardo to join the Haas F1 team, arguing that it would be a good opportunity for him to regain his competitive spirit and enjoy racing again without the pressure of being in a top team.
* She acknowledges Ricciardo's hesitance to join a backmarker team, but emphasizes that Haas has shown promise under Guenther Steiner's leadership and that Ricciardo could have a positive impact on the team's performance.
* Katz agrees that Haas would be a good fit for Ricciardo, especially considering his love for money and his desire to have fun while racing.

**Ferrari's Development Plans**

* The hosts express their concern over Ferrari's lack of transparency regarding their development plans.
* They note that Ferrari is currently the fourth fastest car on the grid and has experienced reliability issues, with Charles Leclerc retiring from two of the three races so far.
* Despite this, they have been unable to find any information about Ferrari's plans to improve the car's performance, leading them to speculate that there may be internal disagreements or a lack of a clear direction within the team.

**Wholesome Moments and Top Social Media Posts**

* Klein and Katz share their favorite wholesome moments from the Australian Grand Prix weekend, including Yuki Tsunoda's fan interactions, Oscar Piastri scoring points in his home race, and Daniel Ricciardo's positive attitude despite his struggles.
* They also highlight some of the best social media posts from the weekend, including a video of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly cooking burgers for Jack Doohan, a photo of Toto Wolff dressed as Darth Vader, and Alfa Romeo's post with question marks representing their finishing positions.

**Confusion Over Starting Grid Penalties**

* The hosts discuss the controversy surrounding the penalties handed out to Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso for lining up incorrectly on the grid, while Max Verstappen escaped punishment for a similar offense.
* They read the relevant rule from the FIA Sporting Regulations, which states that any part of the contact patch of the front tires must be outside the lines at the time of the start signal.
* Klein and Katz interpret this rule to mean that both front tires must be completely clear of the lines, and they question why the FIA applied the rule differently in the cases of Ocon and Alonso compared to Verstappen.

**Yellow Sector Notes**

* The hosts briefly mention some news and developments from around the paddock, including Red Bull's licensing deal with Yeti, Aston Martin's merch line with Fernando Alonso's company Kamoa, and Mercedes' tie-dye merch collection.

**Overall Message**

* The overall message of the podcast is that Formula One needs to improve its communication and transparency, both in terms of race regulations and team development plans.
* The hosts also emphasize the importance of creating more wholesome and engaging content for fans, and they celebrate the positive moments that can be found even in a challenging and unpredictable sport like Formula One. **Formula One News and Updates**

* Mercedes' fan merchandise lacks variety, particularly in color options.

* Charles Leclerc's stolen watch: Police arrest suspects and release footage of Leclerc pursuing the thieves.

* AlphaTauri's internal drama: One driver causing chaos by taking out their teammate during a race.

* Esteban Ocon debuts a new jacket, exciting his fans.

* McLaren's boss, Zak Brown, challenges Christian Horner and Toto Wolff to a race and a boxing match, respectively.

* Robert Kubica countersues Williams in a Florida court for damages to his reputation.

* Nico Hülkenberg expresses dissatisfaction with the Australian GP's management.

* Valtteri Bottas' race-worn helmet from the Australian GP is up for auction, with proceeds benefiting Save the Children.

* Nicholas Latifi shoots content for the Auto Meal Club of Monaco.

**Gridwalk Show Updates**

* The hosts express gratitude to VoiceOver Man, their mothers, and their four-legged executive producers.

* Listeners are encouraged to turn on auto downloads, rate and review the podcast, and follow the show on social media.

* The hosts tease upcoming F1 spring break content, including 25 days of sponsored reviews and daily gridwalks.

* New episodes of the Gridwalk Show are released every Thursday.