Pierre Gasly will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the pit lane after failing to stop at the weigh bridge during second practice.
The Red Bull driver was found to have “failed to stop for weighing when required to do so” at the end of the session.The stewards noted Gasly “drove on and proceeded to do a pit stop where the car was worked on by lifting the car and all four wheels were changed, in breach of Article 29.1 (a).
“Under Article 29.1 (a) the penalty for this infringement is specified to be for the car to start from the pit lane and we so order.”
Article 29.1 (a) of the Sporting Regulations states: “Any driver who fails to stop when asked to do so, and then fails to bring the car back to the FIA garage, or if work is carried out on the car before it is returned to the FIA garage, will be required to start the race from the pit lane.”
Gasly will therefore start outside the top 10 for the third time in four races so far this year.
The same infraction was committed by Formula 2 driver Mahaveer Raghunathan during the F2 practice session today. He has also been ordered to start tomorrow’s F2 feature race from the pits.
Don't miss anything new from RaceFans
Follow RaceFans on social media:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2019 F1 season
- Crying in the Melbourne car park at 2019 grand prix was my career low – Ocon
- McLaren Racing reports reduced £71 million loss in 2019
- Kvyat: Hockenheim podium last year was “my biggest achievement” so far
- How the FIA’s new encrypted fuel flow meter targets Ferrari’s suspected ‘aliasing’ trick
- “He smashed my office door”: 23 must-see moments from ‘Drive to Survive’ season two
Kyle Stephens (@zeek)
26th April 2019, 17:43
At what point will Helmut Marko decide his promotion was a bit premature?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
26th April 2019, 17:46
@zeek Generous use of the future tense, there.
TFLB (@tflb)
26th April 2019, 17:53
@zeek Well, who else could they have hired? Ricciardo didn’t give them a choice. Nor did they give Ricciardo a choice by putting all their eggs in the Verstappen basket. Plus I don’t think they’ll be overly concerned as I don’t think they wanted someone to beat Verstappen anyway – although I do think Gasly will come good and challenge him later in the season.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2019, 18:09
@tflb Sainz? Although to be honest, his chances of getting a drive at the energy drinks company’s main team got reduced already when he joined Renault on loan at the tail-end of 2017.
TFLB (@tflb)
26th April 2019, 18:12
@jerejj I don’t think that would have happened due to the not-particularly-friendly rivalry with Verstappen, Max wouldn’t have wanted it and I can’t imaging Sainz would have been interested knowing the team would probably make him play second fiddle.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
27th April 2019, 7:57
@jerejj RB wanted Lando, probably for StR, still, it’s clear that RB doesn’t rate Sainz, and neither does Renault. Sainz has the Button effect, everyone likes him but on paper most of the time his team mates have beaten him, he may become good, eventually, Button did.
Jere (@jerejj)
27th April 2019, 9:55
@peartree Renault would’ve wanted to keep him longer-term actually, but due to the resistance of RB to let him go, they then resorted to luring DR out of the RB camp instead.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
28th April 2019, 11:36
@jerejj That’s BS. RB plays their cards right that’s all. Anyone can agree that a driver that’s slightly slower at qualifying and often over 20 sec slower at the end of the race is not worth it. Lando is putting sainz jr to shame.
Martin
26th April 2019, 18:10
Sainz
anon
26th April 2019, 18:19
@tflb, well, some are suggesting Sainz, although there were suggestions that relations between Verstappen and Sainz were very strained whilst they were at Toro Rosso.
As a bit more of a left field choice, they could perhaps have gone for Buemi if they only wanted to put a driver into the second seat on a temporary basis – it would have allowed the team to leave Gasly at Toro Rosso for another year.
Sihrtogg (@sihrtogg)
26th April 2019, 19:37
Ocon?
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2019, 20:16
@sihrtogg Not an option due to his Mercedes-ties as was pointed out by Helmut, for example.
Todfod (@todfod)
27th April 2019, 7:20
@jerejj
More importantly… Verstappen vs Ocon in the same team?
DAllein (@)
26th April 2019, 18:31
Red Bull didn’t have a choice, they don’t have drivers to fill 4 seats, that’s why they have to use Gasly and Kvyat.
I already ranted here in the aftermath of the last race, and I totally believe that after Monaco (latest) one of these two will be kicked out, and possibly with another RBR-ToroRosso reshuffle Buemi will take someone’s place.
Though my bet is on Kvyat to be shown the door.
frood19 (@frood19)
27th April 2019, 2:41
Too true. Red bull have lost some powerful talents in recent years and their driver programme is not doing the business to replace them. Verge, vettel and ricciardo are the best of them but you can go back to algesuari to see talent that was squandered.
Sravan Krishnan (@sravan-pe)
26th April 2019, 17:50
Why did Albon’s face suddenly pop up in my head
Mashiat (@mashiat)
26th April 2019, 18:03
Gasly really has to up his game, or I’m not sure he’ll be at Red Bull for long. But on reflection, I’d argue that Verstappen is perhaps the toughest teammate to have in F1 other than Hamilton. I feel like we often forget this because we are quite used to it and his crashes generate more talk than anything else, but Verstappen is frighteningly consistent if you think about it. I’m struggling to think of the last time he was “off-the-pace” in a weekend. There are often races where he will not maximize the result, but that is down to factors other than his pure pace. Even and Alonso Hamilton took until they were maybe nearing (or passing) a decade in F1 before achievining this sort of consistency against a teammate. And for someone who is only 21 years old, that is seriously impressive. No doubt he has to improve his temperament and decision-making, but I’d expect that to improve once he isn’t having to battle just to not finish 5th. I’ve never been Verstappen’s biggest fan, but when reflecting on the task ahead for Gasly, it sort of sank into me just how consistent Verstappen was and how tough it will be for any teammate to beat someone when they very rarely have an “off” weekend. Even a driver as good as Ricciardo struggled to match his pace most of the time.
Martin
26th April 2019, 18:15
And if you think about it a little more … he really isn’t. Lets see how he fairs this season but last season was a catalog of stupid mistakes. Consistent he was not, never mind “frighteningly” so.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
26th April 2019, 18:27
If you properly read my comment, I’m talking about in terms of pace only. Not anything else.
FA
26th April 2019, 19:15
@mashiat
In your comment you’re mixing the two up, a couple of times:
– “his crashes generate more talk than anything else, but Verstappen is frighteningly consistent if you think about it.” – Implication of being consistent in preventing crashes.
– “tough it will be for any teammate to beat someone when they very rarely have an “off” weekend.” – If you were truly talking about pace, this statement doesn’t hold bc you can beat someone who may be on it all the time pace-wise, but who crashes a lot. You could’ve actually seen this btw the last three years.
Stating it took ALO and HAM a decade in F1 before being consistent on pace is plain incorrect.
“No doubt he has to improve his temperament and decision-making, but I’d expect that to improve once he isn’t having to battle just to not finish 5th” – He wasn’t battling exactly for 4th just five races ago.
“Even a driver as good as Ricciardo struggled to match his pace most of the time.” – Not really. Pure on pace it was VER 5 and RIC 4 in quali, just last year, so no advantage there. Race pace of RIC is superior.
Matn
27th April 2019, 8:11
@ FA…
The media does have a lot of influence on the general public…. did you really belive the things your wrote down yourself..?
Ask yourself the quesion, did Verstappen actually had more self inflicted incidents than his team mate last season…? Based on true numbers they were awefully close, but it’s Verstappen that’s got all the attention…hardly anyone remembers Ricciardo’s flaws in fe. Spain.
Verstappen simply doesn’t crash a lot… make a summery over 4 season and he’s close the the most consistant top 5 drivers…. in 4 years he’s been resonsable for taking out only one other driver (Ricciardo 2017)
Pace wise…. Verstappen on 5th, Ric 4th…but how come..? Wasn’t ot Ric had a good tow while they only qualified 0.083 apart …Ric only led for 4 laps btw
JohnVl
26th April 2019, 19:21
Last 12 races never finished outside the top five with 8 podiums. Stop spreading fake news!
erikje
26th April 2019, 20:32
strange… did you looked at the right sport ( F1) and the right driver (VER)
He was a bit overenthusiastic in the first few races but was great in the rest of the season.
i never understand people who make things up, strange behavior.
F1oSaurus (@)
26th April 2019, 21:33
Well Brazil he could have won if he had kept his hormones in check too. And then intentionally running into Ocon in Abu Dhabi (and being proud of it) was just bad.
Saad Mughal
26th April 2019, 18:50
I think alonso is a tougher teammate than verstappen
Mashiat (@mashiat)
26th April 2019, 19:03
I agree, but he isn’t exactly in F1 right now is he? I was talking only from the current roster.
frood19 (@frood19)
27th April 2019, 2:50
@mashiat is on the money here, verstappen is a fearsome teammate, but I do think gasly is getting thoroughly outclassed. Albon may be getting the fast track any time soon
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2019, 18:07
I could see this coming given that Magnussen got the same penalty for the same offense in Bahrain back in 2016.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
26th April 2019, 18:50
Tbh he’s still a decent enough driver, and all he might need is time to settle in. So far he’s been disappointing but his team-mate has had similarly off-colour and poor appearances in the beginning of the year and outclassed everyone else in the second half, so I’m willing to giving him more time. Whether Red Bull will or not is a different question.
Awkwardly though, both Kvyat or Albon look like they’d be able to match or better what Gasly’s done so far and if Red Bull’s argument for Kvyat’s demotion was he was promoted too quickly then Gasly almost certainly has too.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2019, 20:19
@rocketpanda I’m not so sure either Kvyat or Albon could get any more out of the RB15 in its current/early-season state as Gasly has managed thus far.
Imre (@f1mre)
26th April 2019, 19:16
What a stupid rule. It is called “practice”, isn’t it? What if they run practice with illegal cars? Why isn’t it allowed for them? If they want to prevent them from running illegal cars, give them fines or reprimands as harshest penalty, not directly race affecting ones.
Serg (@)
26th April 2019, 21:58
@f1mre, I fail to understand why a car needs to be weighted during practice in the first place.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
27th April 2019, 1:01
I agree, Imre.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
27th April 2019, 8:00
@f1mre Agreed. Should never translate to weekend penalties.
anon
27th April 2019, 10:08
@f1mre, because, in the past, some teams adopted the tactic to deliberately keep switching between illegal and legal parts during practise sessions with the deliberate intention of making it difficult for the scrutineers to keep track of which part was being used and when.
By creating deliberate confusion about which parts were legal and which parts were illegal, some teams would then trick the scrutineers into allowing an illegal part onto the car by making them think it was the legal part. That is why they carry out those random checks during the practise session – because it was a known route for teams to introduce illegal parts onto the car for either qualifying or the race itself.
Sihrtogg (@sihrtogg)
26th April 2019, 19:41
It will be no problem. He will finish 6th anyway and can show his overtaking ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶t̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ DRS skills to the team.
Chaitanya
27th April 2019, 6:10
With safety car periods we see for this race, it shouldnt be a big problem for RBR to get back up to 6th. But since its Gasly behind the wheel he might even get stuck being STR cars or either Albon or Kvyat barely managing to finish 10 or lower.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
26th April 2019, 20:10
As a thought, how obvious was the signal given to Gasly? Could he have been unaware the Stewards wanted to look at his car? The Formula 2 driver Mahaveer Raghunathan also failed to stop when requested, so maybe there’s a problem with the way the Stewards signal the drivers.
I have to concede there’s no quote in the article from either Gasly or Raghunathan saying they didn’t realise the Stewards wanted to check their cars, which does suggest both knew they’d been signalled but chose to continue on to their pit box, but it does seem odd they would do that intentionally as they would have known there’d be consequences. Or is there something I’ve missed, like is it common practice for some drivers to ignore the Stewards request to inspect their car?
It seems to me Red Bull at least were unaware their driver had been signalled because they proceeded to work on the car, which I don’t think they would have done if they had known he had been signalled to stop and didn’t, so at least they could return the car back to the Stewards for it to be inspected.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2019, 20:27
@drycrust I don’t think Gasly (or Raghunathan) would intentionally ignore a request for weighing. Most likely he just somehow by mistake managed to entirely fail to notice the two panels on his right that (clearly) displayed his racing number. He simply didn’t pay enough attention to his surroundings when entering the pit lane, and, therefore, just kept on driving through the fast lane as per usual. He should’ve noticed them in time at that speed, though, so an error on his side, 100%.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.gasly-hit-with-pit-lane-start-for-missing-weighbridge-summons.xWUkkm2qLR8VycQcftsNW.html
F1oSaurus (@)
26th April 2019, 21:38
@jerejj There is a car already being weighed though.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
26th April 2019, 22:07
I agree, but is that an excuse for not stopping? I guess the Stewards wanted him to queue for the weigh bridge, or if there wasn’t enough distance to stop safely, then he should have stopped just passed the weigh bridge and asked for someone to push his car backwards to be weighed.
Jere (@jerejj)
27th April 2019, 7:14
@f1osaurus Yes, but in that case, a driver should just stop behind the scales and wait for being pushed onto them once they become free.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
26th April 2019, 22:01
Thanks for the video. Yes, the electronic displays are clearly visible once you’re clear of the corner. It looks to me like the back wheels lost traction and the back end appears to have started swing out, which required a second or two to get the car under control.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th April 2019, 20:15
Albon chances are looking good. But he would also be put in that car way too soon if thats what Helmut and co decide. They need to give their drivers more time in the Toro Rossos…
Guybrush Threepwood
26th April 2019, 21:23
Penalty seems over zealous for a practice session. What would they gain out of running non spec parts in practice? I don’t know why they bother with the weigh bridge at all in practice.
Bobby Balboa (@bobby-balboa)
27th April 2019, 7:47
Didn’t Finger Boy miss a weighing in Quali last season? He drove up to the scales then just drove over it & comtinued or something like that. Don’t remember him starting from the pit lane. Think he got a slap on the wrist of a finger waved at him. Possibly his pocket money taken away
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
27th April 2019, 8:09
@bobby-balboa I think he’s done that a couple of times that said he didn’t get to the pit stall, so you could argue that the measurements were still valid, that one where he didn’t turn off the engine mid quali was a big mess, and of course they called Vettel, not Lewis not Max, it had to be Vettel and he freaked out in a hurry, didn’t turn off the engine and broke the scale on the way out. I’m sure the FIA will think twice with any of the big hitters.
anon
27th April 2019, 10:34
@peartree, that would be the same Hamilton who was ordered to carry out a weight check during qualifying for the Japanese GP, just a handful of races earlier to that incident with Vettel and also taking place during a session with variable weather conditions – in fact, there are multiple instances of Hamilton being ordered to go to the weighbridge during a qualifying session (Russia and Abu Dhabi to name two more instances, as an example).
There are also multiple instances of Ricciardo, Bottas and Raikkonen being ordered to the weighbridge during a qualifying session that year, both before and after that incident – so your assertion that “the FIA will think twice with any of the big hitters” is quite clearly wrong.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
27th April 2019, 8:46
I doubt the team are going to be very pleased with this. It cannot be a situation Gasly is unfamiliar with so it just seems like he was not paying attention to the pit boards.
Having said this I think the penalty is very harsh considering the infringement. Rules are rules though.
RBR got a lot of bad publicity I think for the Kvyat demotion situation, so I doubt they will act so quickly again in terms of a demotion. Neither do I think they should. Gasly does need to start putting in some consistent, decent performances though. Who knows he might be able to slice through the traffic to get a decent result. I just hope he’s not taken out by someone.