Haas fed up with FIA black-and-orange flag calls

An annoyed Guenther Steiner took exception in Singapore, for the third time this season, with the stewards' questionable decision to wave a black-and-orange flag at Haas' Kevin Magnussen.

The Dane, who started his race form P9, was involved at the start in a contact with Max Verstappen that damaged a front-wing endplate on the Haas VF-22.

While Magnussen initially continued on, running just outside the top-ten, the stewards considered the damage sufficient to warrant a black-and-orange flag that forced the Dane into an early stop for a fresh set of tyre and a new front wing.

But Steiner disapproved of the call, especially as it was the third instance this year in which Magnussen's race was ruined by an unnecessary order to stop by the FIA.

• Read also: F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2022 Singapore GP

"It was a disappointing race as we could have scored points here realistically, without dreaming of them, Steiner said.

"The incident on lap one with Kevin, we lost all positions and again we received a black-and-orange flag, now for the third time, when there is no need for it.

"We have made it very clear to the FIA on the past two occasions and it’s just like you have your back against the wall."

A prescient Steiner had perhaps anticipated Magnussen's unlucky plight as he had addressed his black-and-orange flag frustrations just hours before Sunday's race.

"We know exactly what is happening and how the front wing is built, that it cannot fly away," he said.

"If we think it is dangerous, we will call it in on our behalf, we don’t need to be told. I think we have a lot more qualified people to say it is safe or not than the FIA has.

"I don’t know where they found this rule again. Now they are happy to apply it and especially to us."

Magnussen eventually concluded his Singapore Grand Prix in 12th place, one spot ahead of teammate Mick Schumacher whose race was unfortunately ruined by a contact with George Russell that led to a left-rear puncture.

"In my view, I did signal my intentions of not wanting him to go by, because I felt like the conditions were too wet to try and overtake," commented Schumacher.

"I felt like I was on the dry line. He was trying to come back to the dry line but, obviously, that was taken by my car. Then we both had a puncture, or at least I had a puncture.

"To finish P13 I think we can say in one way that we’re happy that we finished, as not a lot of people did."

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