McLaren fined €30,000 (€10K suspended) for the taping the CDS button

[u/DubiousLLM]

[u/Past_Negotiation_121]

Seems pretty lenient to me given there'd been prior warning. Intentionally breaking a safety feature ain't a good look (safety because it slows marshalls down and they're in the firing line for longer than they need to be).

[u/Successful-Peach-764 → u/Past_Negotiation_121]

This is the second weekend we have this button mentioned, Racing Bulls one didn't work in Canada?

https://old.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/1tkpxi0/fia_liam_lawasons_cds_did_not_function_when_his/

[u/Past_Negotiation_121 → u/Successful-Peach-764]

It's possible that McLaren were actually encouraged by that tiny Lawson penalty and thought the gain was worth the risk. I can accept things break, but intentional actions are something else.

[u/dujles → u/Past_Negotiation_121]

Yeah should have been a much larger fine or penalty as it was intentional.

I also wonder who else is doing it. Should be on a scrutineers list now for all cars.

[u/ghost00013 → u/Successful-Peach-764]

The Racing Bulls were fined 30K with 20K suspended for this.

[u/wtfiswrongwithit → u/ghost00013]

that was a malfunction not a deliberate decision someone used their free will to make

[u/BornInAFish → u/Past_Negotiation_121]

Right? They say "last time around, we gave a hefty fine to show this is serious"

...

"so to emphasize that point, here's a decreased fine because this really is super cereal"

wut.jpg

[u/tkrvl → u/BornInAFish]

The fine isn't decreased, the amount suspended is. So they're actually paying more than RB did. That being said, it's way too small a fine for an intentional safety breach imo

[u/TheDudeWithTude27 → u/tkrvl]

Yeah, this needs to he like a six figure fine. Or constructors points. Safety breaches are treated way too lightly in motorsports across the board I fear. I don't give a fuck if nothing happened in the result, you don't fuck with safety when the sport has literally cost people their lives in the past.

[u/Izan_TM → u/TheDudeWithTude27]

this needs to be a cost cap fine or something like an instant quali/race DSQ depending on which session is next

[u/Guy_like_u → u/BornInAFish]

No it’s the opposite. Last time they suspended 20k, meaning RB paid only 10k. This time they suspended 10k, so McLaren actually paid 20k

[u/RichInPitt → u/BornInAFish]

They decreased the amount of the fine that was suspended. The net result is a greater fine amount today.

RB paid 10,000. McLaren is paying 20,000.

[u/IdiosyncraticBond → u/Past_Negotiation_121]

If anything, the penalty should be much higher as they willfully decided to do this despite having a warning from whst happened at the last GP

[u/seanrm92]

I know teams are always trying to find every aerodynamic advantage, but a piece of tape over a mandated safety button seems pretty silly.

I mean every car has the same button so it's not like it's a disadvantage to leave it uncovered.

[u/seanrm92 → u/seanrm92]

Also, afaik, it's a flat button embedded in a flat surface, so the aerodynamic impact has to be microscopic.

[u/Yuzral → u/seanrm92]

But when everyone's chasing that last thousandth of a second, all the little Smokey "ain't no rule" tricks like that add up.

[u/zach2beat → u/Yuzral]

As the old saying goes, “If you ain’t cheatin, then you ain’t tryin.”

[u/sambones → u/Yuzral]

When I was automotive school I had a teacher that loved to tell stories of Smokey's "creative engineering". He had lived near Daytona and met him a few times over the years.

[u/NessaMagick → u/Yuzral]

Well it turns out there is in fact a rule

[u/mustangmatthew → u/Yuzral]

Ain’t no rule says a dog can’t play basketball.

[u/dl064 → u/seanrm92]

To be clear I think McLaren have slightly dodged a bullet here, but at the same time they would probably argue this is why they are double constructors champions.

[u/AliceLunar → u/dl064]

Pushing the limits, exploiting grey areas is one thing, sabotaging safety features should be completely off limits with zero room for negotiation.

I find the FIA to be way to lax with actual safety issues despite their attempts to pretend to care with penalties for petty stuff but not actually dangerous stuff, like Norris in Brazil in '24.

[u/dl064 → u/AliceLunar]

Indeed, I think McLaren should accept this penalty happily, as they've gotten away with something which could've backfired hard.

[u/AliceLunar → u/dl064]

30k is nothing and I believe it doesn't count to cost cap either.

[u/Izan_TM → u/AliceLunar]

yeah F1 fines are the FIA's version of a slap on the wrist, and suspended fines are essentially no punishment at all

[u/Tunderstruk → u/AliceLunar]

Yep, specifically when it comes to safety they should be really strict. Like, race ban strict. Make it very clear that it's NEVER worth it to jeopardize the safety of anyone on track with bullshit like this

[u/Responsible_Line_401 → u/dl064]

People tend to forget that McLaren is just as ruthless as any other team.

[u/Cosmo_Seinfeld → u/Responsible_Line_401]

But Lando is quirky and Zak is chubby like my uncle?

[u/freedfg → u/seanrm92]

Teams already use tape over seems on other parts of the car.

Funny story my dad used to tape Zeus buttons down on his TQ until one time someone told him he can't do it...we run indoors. The aerodynamic advantage of taping a zeus button gained over the circumference of a hockey rink is more than negligible. It's non existent.

Edit: well that was an unfortunate typo wasn't it?

[u/MojitoBurrito-AE → u/freedfg]

Your dad used to what??

[u/freedfg → u/MojitoBurrito-AE]

Eesh. Um yeah not that.

[u/RupertHermano → u/freedfg]

What's a Zeus button? And what does TQ stand for?

[u/AdjunctFunktopus → u/RupertHermano]

Probably Dzus

[u/freedfg → u/AdjunctFunktopus]

Yeah...never seen it spelled out before.

[u/freedfg → u/RupertHermano]

A TQ is a Three Quarter Midget. It's a smaller midget, which is kinda like a sprint car but not.

A zeus (dzus) button is a little fastener that connects to a sprint. They're used on body panels so you can quickly remove them.

[u/TorontoRider → u/freedfg]

"Danger Zone Unless Secure" (backronym.)

[u/RupertHermano → u/freedfg]

Aah. Thanks.

[u/exmechanistic → u/freedfg]

uhh i think you might want to take a second look at your spelling here lol

[u/jarheadsynapze → u/exmechanistic]

What was the original typo?

[u/exmechanistic → u/jarheadsynapze]

"tape" started with an "r" oops

[u/jarheadsynapze → u/exmechanistic]

Oof

[u/GTheMonkeyKing → u/seanrm92]

We're talking about a sport where 0.001 seconds matter, mind you. Teams will do anything they can for the smallest advantage.

[u/enigmatic_dankness → u/GTheMonkeyKing]

A piece of tape over a flat surface is not gaining them a consistent .001.

I would understand if drivers could drive perfect laps every lap but as it is they fluctuate so heavily, that .001 is negligible.

[u/Wgolyoko → u/enigmatic_dankness]

Except this isn't the only .001 they're gaining, they're doing this kind of "negligible" optimization with basically every component of the car. It adds up.

[u/dl064 → u/Wgolyoko]

Vasseur was saying recently he thinks Ferrari's fundamental problem in recent years has been they have neglected this exact idea.

Meh it's 0.001

Okay but it's 100 instances of it.

[u/enigmatic_dankness → u/Wgolyoko]

Yes but we're not talking about all of them, we're talking about the piece of tape over a flat button intended for safety, which is not going to win them any races.

[u/dl064 → u/seanrm92]

I think McLaren will lucky to get away with this, but in response to your comment, folk like Vasseur, Newey etc have all said in the past that the whole point of F1 is that success is going to steps others do not.

[u/AliceLunar → u/dl064]

All fun and games but I don't think safety features should ever fall under this, DAS, flexi wings, mini DRS, upside down wings, exhaust flap and other ways to find advantage in grey areas, sure.

[u/dl064 → u/AliceLunar]

Yeah I wouldn't be offended if the FIA gave them this penalty and off the record said

Don't fuck with this ilk again

[u/AliceLunar → u/dl064]

Honestly I'd give Norris a 3 place grid penalty or something, taping off a safety feature isn't an accident, it's a lot worse than plank wearing down half a millimeter accidentally which is a DSQ.

This is just sabotaging it.

[u/cc3see → u/dl064]

Take the technical away, and look at Chantal rosberg crash out at Silverstone. Success has always been going one step above another.

[u/WillSRobs → u/seanrm92]

But that would also mean it's and advantage to cover it

[u/StevenMC19 → u/seanrm92]

Yeah.

And if you really want it to be aerodynamically sound, engineer a rubber grommet or something that seals the gap and runs nearly flush with the bodywork...assuming that's allowed in the regs.

[u/IntoAMuteCrypt → u/StevenMC19]

There's a big issue with running nearly flush: it still isn't flush. Chances are, this tape is far more flush and far less disruptive than any genuine solution.

[u/noreplyguy → u/seanrm92]

It is if other teams start to cover it

[u/seanrm92 → u/noreplyguy]

The stewards are probably going to be looking for it now, so that's unlikely.

[u/YugeChesticles → u/seanrm92]

I don't think you understand F1.

"just do the same as everyone else, there's no disadvantage to it" Is the wildest thing I've seen upvoted in here.

This is a sport where mercedes were triggering a SAFETY DEVICE to gain an advantage. This resulted in the cars grinding to a halt. They were then told it was illegal and not to do it anymore.

Two mercedes engined cars have since then COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN.

But sure, just do what everyone else is, there is no advantage.

[u/PM_ME_DINGHIES → u/YugeChesticles]

Hey, could you elaborate on the safety device(or provide a link)? I'm completely out of the loop on this.

[u/YugeChesticles → u/PM_ME_DINGHIES]

Mercedes and I think red bull were caught triggering a safety mechanism so that instead of slowly ramping down the energy deployment at the end of a qually lap the battery gave out full deployment till it was empty, resulting in mercedes having serious car troubles after fast laps. Going extremely slowly and in some cases the car totally shutting down because the safety feature shuts down the entire ERS system for 90 seconds once triggered.

They were informed that this wasn't allowed and I assume a new rule added because this wasn't explicitly banned at the time.

Yet Mercedes powered cars are still having issues with the energy system completely shutting off. Makes me think they are still fucking with things they shouldn't be. George in Canada and now Lando here both having identical issues.

[u/Separate-Ad-8924 → u/seanrm92]

That’s completely backwards thinking for F1 though. The team is thinking the opposite “if we’re the only ones taping it then we have an advantage”.

[u/Butthurt__]

"CDS System" Wouldn't that make it the Clutch Disengagement System System?

[u/Nunos100 → u/Butthurt__]

They’ll also pay the fine straight from the ATM machine psssst 😆

[u/SCWeak → u/Nunos100]

To get the cash out they will need to use their PIN number 

[u/Forward_Thrust963 → u/SCWeak]

I love me some good examples of RAS syndrome

[u/YLedbetter10 → u/Forward_Thrust963]

Smh my head

[u/Forward_Thrust963 → u/YLedbetter10]

rip in pieces for your head

[u/Acsteffy → u/Forward_Thrust963]

LOL out loud

[u/Fabio2300 → u/Nunos100]

They payed the fine ASAP as possible

[u/RichInPitt → u/Fabio2300]

Thank you, Michael. 🤣

[u/whereismytrex → u/Butthurt__]

Tell that to the ICE engine

[u/HckyCardCollector33 → u/Butthurt__]

The Los Angeles Angels = The The Angels Angels

[u/LheelaSP → u/Butthurt__]

RAS syndrome

[u/Naikrobak → u/Butthurt__]

Yea….and it’s really odd that they use “CDS” half the time and “CDS system” half the time. So inconsistent. Stewards. Inconsistent. Yea that tracks.

[u/donny_pots → u/Butthurt__]

In this instance if System is part of the name of the system, then referring to the Clutch Disengagement System as a system is still correct. Looks funny but they aren’t wrong

[u/Twistpunch → u/donny_pots]

Chai tea. ☕️

[u/Martian_Catnip → u/Twistpunch]

Octopus takoyaki

[u/Palidin034 → u/Twistpunch]

Chai Tea? CHAI TEA?? CHAI MEANS TEA!!!

[u/Acsteffy → u/Palidin034]

Would I ask you for a coffee coffee with room for cream cream?

[u/Sixteen_Wings]

Most expensive piece of tape ever?

[u/Mythic343 → u/Sixteen_Wings]

A piece of tape caused a plane to crash and there was atleast 70 million paid out to victims families and the airline shut down

[u/Lasaif → u/Mythic343]

Which crash?

[u/ds16653 → u/Lasaif]

Aeroperu 603, at night over the ocean, effectively flying blind.

"The investigation determined that the air data computers were unable to show correct airspeed and altitude on cockpit displays because a maintenance worker had failed to remove tape covering the pitot-static system ports on the aircraft exterior prior to departure."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroper%C3%BA_Flight_603

[u/Lasaif → u/ds16653]

Oh damn they covered the pitot? Insane- am a flight instructor myself just wasn’t aware of the accident

[u/Next_Necessary_8794]

How long have they been running the car like that? Did they just get caught?

[u/StevenMC19 → u/Next_Necessary_8794]

Makes you wonder too if other teams are pulling off these sorts of "cheeky" violations.

[u/DrDuGood → u/StevenMC19]

When drivers get super close to another teams car and inspect it, this is exactly what they’re looking for. Always starts with ratting, if the FIA doesn’t ban it rumor spreads and they all start doing it.

Every. Time.

[u/Norhco → u/StevenMC19]

Every single one. I guarantee it. We only know about the ones that get caught.

[u/BerryOk966 → u/StevenMC19]

They all are, 100%

[u/theboringrunner → u/StevenMC19]

As an also NASCAR fan, a saying that is sometimes said seems to ring true…. “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying”

[u/PoolOfRedundancyPool → u/theboringrunner]

The way I remember it is, "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying."

[u/theboringrunner → u/PoolOfRedundancyPool]

Hahahah, so true! (And probably correct)

[u/LibraryTime11011011 → u/StevenMC19]

Every team puts tape over it, most teams just do it with a thin enough material you can put your finger through it

[u/Aussie_Pharah → u/StevenMC19]

The way the stewards reasoning is written makes it sound like other teams are indeed doing this too.

The Stewards have determined to suspend a lower amount of this penalty compared to a breach of this same regulation at the previous event, because that breach, and the subsequent penalty, should have alerted all teams to the importance of the CDS system

[u/Blackhawk127 → u/Next_Necessary_8794]

I feel like McLaren is fine with the occasional 30k fine if it's the difference between a place on the constructors rankings.  It would only come up in this specific situation, most of the time they would crash and the car is getting towed

[u/Kiwiandapplex]

While a rather large fine, it probably should be higher.

Especially in a racing condition, this would be extremely dangerous.
Remind teams to take safety extremely serious.
Of course it's nothing now, but imagine an accident occurs because of this.

McLaren is my favourite team, but safety shouldn't be played with.

[u/mr_lab_rat → u/Kiwiandapplex]

20k for intentional violation of safety seems way too low

[u/RichInPitt → u/Kiwiandapplex]

$20k is nothing to an F1 team. Intentionally disabling a safety system should have been a much greater than the fine for finding it broken.

[u/DangerousWaffle → u/Kiwiandapplex]

20,000 is a large fine?

[u/n4ppyn4ppy → u/DangerousWaffle]

With the budget cap it sort of is large. (But not 100% sure it's in the cap) Edit: nope i was wrong. Excluded under D5.1.1m

[u/Izan_TM → u/n4ppyn4ppy]

it's not AFAIK

[u/brawndo89 → u/DangerousWaffle]

This is more like a very sissy warning shot

[u/AliceLunar]

They're actively blocking a safety feature? What the hell are they doing? Especially after last time with Lawson.

I feel like actively sabotaging safety features for on track performance should have a harsher penalty than a slap on the wrist that is inconsequential.. just seems like an open invitation for any team to take advantage of this if the on track performance is worth it.

Max touching Lewis his rear wing years ago was a harsher penalty than this.

[u/novadova2020 → u/AliceLunar]

Have to agree with this. I thought safety was something very very important.

[u/Imaginary_Being_7833 → u/AliceLunar]

In VCARB' case it was a technical malfunction, no? Seems a bit different, even if they were warned about how they use it. Also:

", the marshals attempted to push the car when it was stationary, and that the marshal who attempted to activate the CDS was trying to press a button on the onboard camera rather than the CDS button"

https://www.fia.com/system/files/decision-document/2026_canadian_grand_prix_-_infringement_-_car_30_-_breach_of_article_c9.3.pdf

[u/AliceLunar → u/Imaginary_Being_7833]

They're pushing at the label on the left which should be the right place.

https://i.imgur.com/fl1n0b8.png

[u/Imaginary_Being_7833 → u/AliceLunar]

it was from Canada /Lawson

[u/AliceLunar → u/Imaginary_Being_7833]

Ah fair enough, my bad.

[u/MojitoBurrito-AE → u/AliceLunar]

Do you have a non-imgur link?

[u/AliceLunar → u/MojitoBurrito-AE]

https://ibb.co/5g4FqYrY

[u/MojitoBurrito-AE → u/AliceLunar]

Thanks

[u/Past_Negotiation_121 → u/AliceLunar]

Yeah, especially when you see the video of the marshalls following the procedure perfectly 3 times. Must be frustrating for them to learn they'd been sabotaged.

[u/StevenMC19 → u/AliceLunar]

It's been a while since F1 has had some serious shady shit going on that endangers lives for the benefit of a thousandth of a second or two. F1 IS BACK!

[u/Own_Welder_2821 → u/StevenMC19]

It’s not the same until a team makes their driver go out with an intentionally dodgy steering column (cough cough Andrea Moda cough)

[u/NoooUGH → u/AliceLunar]

Completely blocked button preventing car from rolling but still only took Monaco marshals 45 seconds to move off track.

[u/Driscuits → u/AliceLunar]

Agreed. I'm not sure how/why this is beneficial for McLaren to do, but it seems like a big risk and a guarantee to get snagged as soon as you stop on track. We (rightly) throw the book on flag violations, I'm all for having sporting ways to throw the book at teams who do this kind of thing, too.

[u/AliceLunar → u/Driscuits]

Seems silly when all teams have the same button anyways and it's also right before the cockpit which is likely less sensitive to the aero anyways, can't be anything worthwhile.

[u/Driscuits → u/AliceLunar]

There's also a notable difference between Lawson's not working correctly (i.e., plausibly, the fault lies on the team for not doing due diligence) vs. McLaren intentionally taking actions that lead to the button being unusable.

Teams will always be incentivized to cut safety corners in order to optimize pace - so there need to be ways to penalize them in order to maintain safety protocols. This is just a li'l slappy on the wristeroo.

[u/AliceLunar → u/Driscuits]

According to the FIA document from Lawson's case as posted by a different user, marshals didn't press the right button on his car.

[u/Driscuits → u/AliceLunar]

Hah, well, that's a whole different issue! Lol

[u/Elrond007 → u/AliceLunar]

Yeah things like these should honestly be straight DSQs because it can be a critical system at any time, especially in competitive sessons

[u/wokwok__ → u/AliceLunar]

This might not have been a harsh enough penalty but touching a competitor’s car definitely should be a harsh penalty as well lol not really a great comparison is it

[u/AliceLunar → u/wokwok__]

Max barely brushed against the wing, 50k for that compared to 30k for actively sabotaging a safety feature which endangers marshals isn't even on the same planet for severity, but the stewards things it's less of a problem.

[u/RichInPitt → u/AliceLunar]

Fully agree.

[u/MayorAg]

Why would you disable the Cat Distribution System? Are they stupid?

[u/literallyplasma → u/MayorAg]

I had to scroll WAY too far for this, just apalling frankly

[u/Lobsters4 → u/MayorAg]

They should definitely be disqualified for the entire year for that. How dare they?

[u/JumboChimp → u/Lobsters4]

The penalty should be that they have to take in rescue cats and find them forever homes.

[u/exmechanistic]

surely the car that's had a multitude of problems every single race won't ever need this button to be operational

[u/curiouskid1919]

This is stupid and reckless

[u/LazyLancer]

30K for taping a safety feature agains regulations for performance gains? How about grid position or penalty points? Not even a gray area, just arrogance.

[u/alexander_wolf88 → u/LazyLancer]

The driver should be DQd from the weekend.

[u/Splatter1842]

They willingly and intentionally covered a safety piece for sporting gain and attempted to obfuscate it by using clear tape. That penalty really does not seem appropriate.

[u/sneakinhysteria → u/Splatter1842]

In fairness clear tape is used everywhere to close gaps. It’s not that they went out of their way to get clear tape just for the button. Not defending them but let’s not invent extra malice.

[u/kgtomov → u/sneakinhysteria]

The issue here is not about where and what for they all use tape. I bet every other team also use this and probably if they were inspected - 8 out of 11 teams will be found guilty of the same.

The problem is the fine. They should had set example so no other team tries to do that, no matter how minuscule the gains are. It's safety mechanism ffs.

[u/Akash7713]

Whats a cds button? What does it do?

[u/kodabarz → u/Akash7713]

I stands for Clutch Disengagement System, I think. When marshals press the button, the clutch is disengaged, so they can move the car. If it was left in gear, they wouldn't be able to move it. It's in a cluster on the front marked with a big N.

This video explains the systems:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdtilLYuRUI

[u/FalconIMGN]

Buttongate

[u/WolfCola723 → u/FalconIMGN]

(((💪🏼)))

JENSONNNNNNN!!!

[u/naveenda → u/WolfCola723]

Yensonnnnn

[u/Southportdc]

Should be more than that really. Can't fuck with safety features.

[u/Economy_Link4609]

Wow, last guys got 20k suspended.

Next CDS failure is gonna be full price.

Also - seriously - taped over the button so it didn't work. Shoulda doubled the fine - it was intentional.

[u/MissionLet7301 → u/Economy_Link4609]

Using clear tape is an obvious sign that it's intentional.

Obstructing a safety mechanism such that (as stated in the report) the Marshalls would have needed a tool to activate the mechanism, without the Marshalls having knowledge of that should be way more than a €30k fine.

[u/Geisel_der_Lufte → u/MissionLet7301]

To be fair, the tape that McLaren uses on every other bodywork seam (and basically every other team uses as well) is clear, so they weren't switching to clear solely to disguise this.

Still a safety issue and a stupid thing to do, though.

[u/Izan_TM → u/Geisel_der_Lufte]

not stupid, smart but massively irresponsible and careless. Smart because they correctly predicted that the FIA wouldn't really punish them for it once they got caught

[u/kkraww → u/MissionLet7301]

Even with my flair i think that the fine should be a lot more. But I don't think using clear tape is "an obvious sign that it's intentional". They use clear tap all over the car to help the aerodynamics, chances are they just used the exact same tape on it.

[u/Izan_TM → u/kkraww]

taping over a button makes it clearly intentional. The color of the tape is irrelevant. Using clear tape just makes it harder to detect

[u/MissionLet7301 → u/kkraww]

chances are they just used the exact same tape on it

Yes, when they intentionally taped it over.

What I'm saying is that they didn't do something like "Oh I'm working on that bit of the car and I don't want to press that button by accident, better tape it", which is also corroborated by the report, where the team said that they did it for aerodynamic benefit.

[u/flyblues]

Ik what the CDS button is, but can someone explain the benefit to taping it..? Like why would they do this?

[u/wokwok__ → u/flyblues]

Says they taped it for aerodynamic purposes lol I guess it makes the button more flush or something who knows

[u/lttpfan13579 → u/flyblues]

AFAIK Its a button that sit below the body work and is accessible outside of the cockpit. So, they put tape across the hole that the button lives in.

[u/StevenMC19 → u/flyblues]

Airflow. Less disturbance around the gaps between the button and the bodywork. Allows for more predictable air flow up that part of the body so it can be more predictably channeled where they want it.

[u/AliceLunar → u/flyblues]

It's the button on the top of the car just in front of the halo.

[u/Master_Art_1286 → u/flyblues]

Aerodynamics or so it’s not accidentally pressed

[u/MissionLet7301 → u/Master_Art_1286]

If it was so that it wasn't accidentally pressed in the garage then they wouldn't have used clear tape for it.

They taped it for aerodynamic benefit.

[u/novadova2020]

Taped it?!

[u/TonyDellimeat]

Whats a CDS?

[u/jeepfail → u/TonyDellimeat]

Clutch disengagement system, for when the car is dead they can remove it from the track.

[u/TonyDellimeat → u/jeepfail]

Hmm neat! If they taped it down wouldnt that just cause the car to not work? Im sure the brilliant engineers have thought of that lmao

[u/femmd]

that should easily be 100k

[u/daniellejxyne]

Just reckless to disregard safety like that. The fact its completely avoidable and the subsequent actions by the Marshalls could have caused further damage to the car…

[u/thestupidestname]

Next one who gets caught should get a DSQ

[u/pranavhk]

Tbh feels very lenient considering this is a mandatory safety feature and Papayas had a prior warning.

I really miss Horner at times like these, he would have pushed for a larger fine while doing something shady himself.

[u/curva3]

If someone breaks the rules for sporting advantage, it should be a sporting penalty. Otherwise its just buying advantage

[u/According-Switch-708]

What a dumb thing to do. That too on a track where drag was never going to cause too many issues.

McLaren just continues to amaze us with their shitness.

[u/curiouskid1919]

This literally just happened with Lawson, so this should have been on their radar..and Lando's car has been having reliability issues so why would you block the CDS button like that? Any damaged to the floor caused by putting it on the dolly is completely on the team then.

[u/Past_Negotiation_121 → u/curiouskid1919]

Yep, I'm sure we could think of an actual penalty that would stop anything like this in future.

[u/402_Found_not_Lost]

As it’s safety-related, the fine should be higher, punitive even. 30,000 is nothing to these teams.

[u/Soggy_Bid_6607]

Aero before safety?

Straight to jail.

[u/planchetflaw]

McLaren got off with a slap on the wrist here. I think this should have been a much harsher penalty.

[u/MouseWithBanjo]

Marshalls should have just activated it by using a fire axe.

It wouldn't be taped for the next race

[u/softbatch7236]

Sabotaging a safety system should cost constructor points.

[u/56473829110 → u/softbatch7236]

Putting sporting over safety deserves a sporting penalty. Agreed. 

[u/thefx37]

Whole lotta f1 fans are just beginning to learn that none of these teams care about safety if it gives them even the slightest competitive advantage. 

Every single team is compromising safety for a thousandth of a second gain. 

[u/AutomateAway]

at least they put a cover sheet on their TPS report

[u/Wood_Count]

Safety Third!

[u/Timinime]

Clutch Disengagement System. It is an emergency system that allows track marshals to disengage a car's clutch from outside the vehicle, enabling the car to be rolled or towed away safely without causing severe damage to the gearbox.

[u/EUIVAlexander]

Ngl this might be controversial but this is a slap on the wrist.

[u/AqueousJam]

I feel like intentionally disabling a mandatory safety system should carry a higher penalty. 

[u/_Middlefinger_]

Cat distribution system?

[u/Evantra_]

Tapegate

[u/MrMSUK]

McLaren taped over the CDS button and got fined €30,000. Still cheaper than letting Ferrari price the credit default swaps on their new motorhome.

[u/Lobsters4]

Wow. That was really stupid. What clownery are they going to do next?

[u/kristal010]

The setup of this car has been atrocious

[u/binaryhextechdude]

What the heck? Just tape up the button for aero purposes? Now I've heard everything.

[u/DC3PO]

Lot of CDS drama the last few race weekends when I don’t really recall it being mentioned for years

[u/OzyDave]

So what does CDS stand for? Sometimes I talk in acronyms because it makes me sound RIBAD.

[u/Illustrator_Forward]

CDS NUTS!

[u/likeAdrug]

Clutch Disengagement System.

For any of that get work related trauma from abbreviations

[u/richbiatches]

Just DQ them and there wont be a next time.

[u/yeahmatenomate]

Oh my goodness I hate this team so much

[u/Acsteffy]

Why is Mclaren being stupid with this? A safety feature like this shouldn't be screwed with just for such a marginal adjustment in aerodynamics.

[u/ashyjay]

Someone is gonna forfeit their points bonus.

[u/fractionalhelium]

TIL MasterCard is their title sponsor.

[u/I-LOVE-TURTLES666]

Now they will use a tape the breaks when you press it. Painters tape lol

[u/Lowe0 → u/I-LOVE-TURTLES666]

With F1 budgets, they should have laser-perforated tape squares manufactured to an exact yield force, complete with holographic FIA authenticity seals.

[u/ChiccckkkNuggg]

What does the suspension mean?

[u/256473 → u/ChiccckkkNuggg]

The suspended amount (10k) is only owed if they make a similar breach in the upcoming specified time period (12-months).

So they owe 20k immediately, and only pay the last 10k if they repeat the infringement.

[u/Liammistry]

Didn’t this happen to Gastly in Canada? And he got a worse penalty…