"The team knows better than Race Control" - Haas to approach FIA to revise move that 'destroyed' their 2022 F1 Hungarian GP

Haas boss Guenther Steiner has said that he will have a chat with the FIA to review the procedure for the use of the black and orange flag in races. For reference, this flag indicates that the driver has a mechanical issue and must return to the pits.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was shown the black and orange flag at the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP after part of his front wing was seen hanging off the car. The Haas driver faced a similar predicament at the 2022 F1 Canadian GP as well where he had the same issue.

Haas boss Guenther Steiner felt that the FIA was being slightly overzealous in the way the black and orange flag was used. In a podcast episode with RacingNews365, he said:

“In Hungary, there was absolutely no need for [the black and orange flag]. It was agreed between team managers and Race Control that Race Control would call up the team and ask what they think about the damage on the car, because the team knows better than Race Control how it is constructed. And that didn’t happen, which was very disappointing, and you don’t have a chance to complain about it because you need to come in next time to the pit lane, so you haven’t got a chance to react.”

Steiner felt that the way the flag was used was incorrect and caused irreparable damage to Kevin Magnussen's race. Claiming that he would have a chat with the FIA after the summer break, he said:

“I will bring it up after the summer break that this is not correct. When we inspected the broken part of it, there was no need at all for it, there was no danger that this part would fall off or could injure anybody, and it destroyed our race. I think it was the wrong call. Obviously, we need to go through the motions, why it was done, [but] it will never fix that it was done and destroyed Kevin’s race in Hungary.”

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This is not the first time the Haas boss has expressed his reservations against the black and orange flag!

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was angry right after the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP as well with the black and orange flag shown to Kevin Magnussen. Even post-race, while talking to the media, Steiner was adamant that the flag was misguided and should not have been used.

He said:

“It was a difficult race today for us. Kevin with apparent front wing damage which actually in our opinion was a mistake by the FIA to call us out on. The front wing was clearly safe to continue so we lost half a lap and that means our race was over and then obviously to get the tires to work was difficult once we ended up in all the blue flags.”

Kevin Magnussen has had two of his races compromised by the black and orange flag. It remains to be seen if there will be any changes after Guenther Steiner's chat with the FIA.