Following a post-qualifying assembly with race stewards, George Russell has been hit with a two-place grid penalty for “impeding” throughout qualifying on the Method 1 São Paulo Grand Prix.
The penalty comes within the wake of race officers issuing new steerage for drivers previous to qualifying in an effort to fight potential “impeding” penalties. The explanation? Throughout qualifying for the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix three drivers — together with Russell — have been requested to fulfill with race officers after they have been discovered holding up site visitors on pit lane, in an try to search out the suitable spot on the monitor for his or her qualifying runs.
The three drivers have been every cleared of their conduct and no motion was taken, as race stewards famous the “opposite necessities” of respecting minimal occasions, making a secure hole to vehicles in entrance, and never holding up site visitors behind them.
The Race Notes issued on Thursday contained this language:
As per article 33.4 of the Method 1 Sporting Laws, drivers aren’t allowed to go unnecessarily sluggish, that features stopping a automotive within the quick lane of the pit lane. Throughout Shootout and Qualifying, drivers could create a niche between the pit exit lights and the SC2 line. Any driver who needs to take action should drive as far to the left as attainable to permit different drivers to cross them on the suitable facet of the pit exit street.
Nevertheless, throughout qualifying Russell exited the pits and slowed right down to create a niche for himself on the monitor. Based on the choice from race officers, Russell “didn’t handle to remain utterly to the left. Consequently, following automotive(s) weren’t in a position to overtake, as meant by the Race Director’s directions. This clearly violates the wording and the spirit of Merchandise 14 of the Race Director’s Occasion Notes.”
As you possibly can see from this clip, Pierre Gasly comes out of pit lane and encounters a slowed Russell, and almost runs into him:
Pierre wasn’t pleased with George
Watch all greatest motion from Interlagos because the drivers battled one another, and the weather ☔️#F1 #BrazilGP
— Method 1 (@F1) November 3, 2023
Consequently, Russell will begin the São Paulo Grand Prix in eighth place, and never sixth the place he certified.
Russell shouldn’t be the one driver going through such a penalty. Race officers additionally summoned Sergio Pérez, and Gasly himself, for comparable violations.
Nevertheless, no selections have been reached but of their circumstances.
