Williams drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi have escaped sanction following an investigation into their pit lane actions ahead of the first quarter for the resumption of the 2021 Mexico Formula 1 Grand Prix.
After the first qualifying section at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was interrupted after Lance Stroll’s severe crash in the Peraltada in the middle of Q1, the remaining cars were queuing at the end of the pit lane just before the end of the half hour.
In the queue, the two Haas cars stopped in the fast lane in front of the Williams Garage, Russell and Latifi then pulled out to sit next to them and point at their rivals before the pit exit lights turned green and Q1 resumed became.
As that happened, Latifi advanced in front of Nikita Mazepin and Russell was halfway next to the Russian driver as they accelerated out of the pit lane before the prospective Mercedes driver snapped into place behind him.
After Q1 ended, it was announced that the stewards would investigate the Williams couple for a possible violation of Article 28.7 of the Formula 1 Sports Rules, which states, “Any cars that must be started or restarted before a training session Form in a line in the fast lane and depart in the order in which they arrived, unless another car is being excessively decelerated. “
But the commissioners decided that they would “accept the team’s explanation that the positioning of their garages at the end of the pit lane makes it impossible for their cars to reach the end of the pit unless they enter the fast lane row of cars already da ”, according to the FIA documents announcing that none of the drivers will be sanctioned.
The document also states that the stewards “also accept that it is difficult for the driver who has moved out of his garage to determine exactly where to get into the line of cars when they leave the pit lane” .
This season alone, several F1 qualifying sessions have been interrupted and Williams ‘garage is always close to the pit lane exit lights due to his last place in the 2020 Constructors’ Championship.
Williams’ Head of Vehicle Performance, Dave Robson, said this exact issue had been debated among the F1 team’s sports managers after the recent Turkish GP.
“That was later discussed by the team managers and there really isn’t anything else you can do,” Robson said when asked by Motorsport.com what else Williams should do given his regular garage position in such a scenario.
“That’s why we’re a little baffled that we have to go to the stewards.”
Robson added that Williams was “not exactly sure why this is such a problem”.
He added, “The rules are that you have to leave the pit lane in the order you got there.
“If there is a queue in the fast lane, of course they block our way and getting out of the car is a bit cumbersome. But I think what we did was the best we could do and it was safe and right. “
Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C41
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Separately, Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen was reprimanded for crossing the pit lane entry line and crossing it again after bumping into him after the Stroll accident and then doing an extra lap with the red flags at the end of his own first flying lap was driven Q1.
Raikkonen said the incident was “pretty much the same as in Austria”. [last] Year ”, where he was approaching the pit entrance at the Red Bull Ring when Q1 was suspended after his team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi fell and dropped debris on the pit straight.
“[Again] On my fast lap, I was in the pit entrance, so to speak, when the lights came on, ”Räikkönen continued. “Sometimes they get upset if you don’t try to go there. And then I thought I was going to cross the line just to make it clearer, but I decided to go back. “
Raikkonen was also reprimanded on Friday – his first of the season – for not moving to the left of the bollard behind Turn 2 after turning into Turn 1 during FP1, as was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
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