Williams boss James Vowles believes Formula 1 should review tactics adopted by Haas that facilitated Nico Hulkenberg scoring a point in Saudi Arabia.
Haas pitted Kevin Magnussen under the early safety car period, caused by Lance Stroll’s accident, but kept Hulkenberg out on track.
Magnussen sustained two 10-second time penalties in quick succession at the restart, one for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and another for causing a collision with Williams’ Alex Albon.
Magnussen remained ahead and deliberately drove at a pace that slowed the chasing pack, allowing Hulkenberg to build a sufficient buffer such that he stayed ahead of Magnussen when he made his mandatory stop.
Hulkenberg went on to score a point that lifted Haas to sixth in the championship, ahead of the yet-to-score Williams, Sauber, RB and Alpine.
“I know we had a car that could score a point there, and yet we walk away without anything to our name,” said Vowles in his post-race debrief.
“Now in part, that was because Alex’s car was damaged by Magnussen pushing him into the wall, receiving a penalty as a result of it, but then using tactics to back up the remainder of the field and create a gap so that Hulkenberg could score that additional point.
“Now those questions on whether or not those tactics are viable or not, or on sportsman like.
“Let’s review that as an organisation and a sport going forward. My opinion from it is that’s not how I want to go racing.”
Albon went on to finish the race in 11th position, once Magnussen’s time drop was applied, and Vowles believes Williams has cause for optimism ahead of the next events.
“In terms of the car pace, yes. I expected the car to be around about where it is,” he said. “You can tell that that sort of midfield fight is very, very tight.
“Across the last two races, you’ve seen a very different order between teams, and that’s just indicative of the fact that there’s a tenth between four teams.
“And it just depends on which team gets absolutely right on the night as to who ends up ahead.
“There are other tracks that will suit us more or less going forward. I think Melbourne will still be a positive track for us. It’ll be interesting to see how the car performs in Japan.
“There’s still questions over last year and hopefully we’ve addressed the balance sufficiently to create a better package there.
“But I think the point that we have from this is that we have to be there or thereabouts fighting for the points when the top five teams leave any available for us to take.”
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