Lance Stroll could lose his pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix as he is under investigation for failing to slow sufficiently for yellow flags during qualifying.
The Racing Point driver has been summoned to the stewards for “allegedly non-respecting yellow flags at 16:48 at turn seven, alleged breach of Appendix H, Art. 2.5.5.1.b) and alleged non-compliance with race director’s event notes 7.2 (single waved yellow flags).”The incident in question occurred when Stroll set his pole-clinching lap time in Q3. The yellow flags were triggered by Stroll’s team mate Sergio Perez who went off at turn seven. Stroll was told “yellow flag” on his radio and then “that was a single yellow, keep pushing”.
The event notes state drivers must “reduce their speed and be prepared to change direction” if single waved yellow flags are shown, according to the race director’s notes. “It must be clear that a driver has reduced speed and, in order for this to be clear, a driver would be expected to have braked earlier and/or discernibly reduced speed in the relevant marshalling sector.”
Lando Norris is also under investigation for a similar infringement in Q1, when he passed Nicholas Latifi, who had spun off at turn eight.
Both drivers could receive grid penalties of at least three places if they are found not to have respected the rules regarding slowing down for yellow flags.
There have been two previous decisions on yellow flag speeding during qualifying this year. Lewis Hamilton was given a three-place grid penalty at the Austrian Grand Prix for failing to slow sufficiently for yellow flags.
However at the Styrian Grand Prix Sergio Perez was cleared over a similar infringement. They ruled Perez “had no chance to do anything more to slow down more than he did” when the yellow flags were shown.
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Darren Moore
14th November 2020, 14:53
He’ll still be remembered the fastest guy much like Schumacher in Monaco 2012.
That was a stunning lap.
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 14:58
He was on intermediates. Does anyone know what everyone else was driving.
Was his pole due simply to a fortunate tire selection?
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th November 2020, 15:01
Ajaxn Verstappen, Perez, Albon for one were on intermediates too at the least. As the Verstappen article mentions, Verstappen (and I suppose Albon) just couldn’t get them to work as well; guess Mercedes didn’t get any tyre really working, I don’t know what they had on though; Renault did pretty well.
Imre (@f1mre)
14th November 2020, 15:04
Ocon was also on inters at the start of Q3 but switched back to full wets.
Lenny (@leonardodicappucino)
14th November 2020, 15:04
@bosyber @Ajaxn the mercs were also running inters, almost everyone was running inters at the end, save for I think Raikkonen and Ocon (who had inters initially and then changed).
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th November 2020, 15:11
Thanks @leonardodicappucino and @@f1mre, so, the intermediates as such certainly weren’t the one thing that did it – rather, whether a team was able to switch on tyres (and RB didn’t manage as well on the inters it seems) or not, timing and getting it right (Stroll, Verstappen, maybe HAM) or not quite (Perez, Albon, BOT)
Adam
14th November 2020, 15:26
Mercedes were on the inters but I think there laps also had to deal with the yellow flags for perez going off
Darren Moore
14th November 2020, 15:06
Most of the cars switched to inters including the Mercs.
Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
14th November 2020, 15:14
He’ll be remember as the driver who makes tons of mistakes and shouldn’t be in F1. 1 sunny day doesn’t make a summer
Alex Limpkin
14th November 2020, 15:50
Aww so salty, bless.
Aleš Norský (@gpfacts)
14th November 2020, 14:54
Even if he loses the pole position, he will be credited with fastest qualifying lap.
Iskandar Mazlan
14th November 2020, 14:56
Fastest qualy could be previous years on dry
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2020, 15:31
@gpfacts Not outright fastest, though.
Aleš Norský (@gpfacts)
14th November 2020, 15:43
Outright fastest in qualifying for this Turkish GP.
Retired (@jeff1s)
14th November 2020, 14:55
His critics answered him !
Patrick (@anunaki)
14th November 2020, 14:57
Double yellow is not to be ignored.
stefano (@alfa145)
14th November 2020, 15:39
it was single, though. still not to be ignored, but single is not double
Thomson (@fish123)
14th November 2020, 15:01
That would just be cruel. But as far as I remember Stroll didnt improve under the yellows so he should be ok
GechiChan (@gechichan)
14th November 2020, 17:17
How would this be cruel? If others (like Max) had the same yellow to pass by and they did lift a bit, it would be unfair to them to lose pole, isn’t it?
proud_asturian
14th November 2020, 15:02
What’s the betting that all these investigations mysteriously result in Lewis Hamilton getting a totally coincidental and absolutely not suspicious at all pole?
geoffgroom44 (@)
14th November 2020, 15:07
seriously? F1 is not WWE.
Matt
14th November 2020, 15:08
Since it’s only 2 drivers under investigation in q3..pretty good odds. 1000/1 or better.
Unless your bookie is a tin foil hat wearing idiot who looks for conspiracy theories everywhere
Rodber
14th November 2020, 15:09
Now you’ve put the cat among the pigeons!
eljueta (@eljueta)
14th November 2020, 15:26
A proud_asturian saying this has got to be Alonso in disguise. You’re not fooling anyone Fernando!
anon
14th November 2020, 16:13
@eljueta actually, it is the opposite – that poster appears to be the one who was known as Jorge Lardon, a man with such a visceral hatred of Alonso that I believe his account was deleted after throwing around one too many libellous accusations about Alonso and threatening to get this site into trouble.
eljueta (@eljueta)
14th November 2020, 18:39
What? The plot thickens.
Dave
22nd December 2020, 18:20
Well, this is…interesting.
Moshambles (@moshambles)
25th December 2020, 21:19
EPOC
Dave
27th December 2020, 6:07
EPON
Rodber
14th November 2020, 15:08
The stewards need to be black flagged.
Let’s have a new panel who can be decisive and speedy, the attributes that are so lacking with Mr Masi and co. They are doing F1 no favours at all.
MacLeod (@macleod)
14th November 2020, 15:30
Expect 3 place drops for the yellow in Q3 but 5 place drop for those in Q1 so Lance should still start as P3.
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2020, 15:32
@macleod 1+3 is 4, so would be P4.
MacLeod (@macleod)
14th November 2020, 15:40
Yes your right sorry about that!
Balue (@balue)
14th November 2020, 20:33
+1
iCarbs (@icarby)
14th November 2020, 15:14
They’ll either delete the lap that he did on double yellows or screw up the race and give him a grid penalty.
MacLeod (@macleod)
14th November 2020, 15:27
Grid penaulty as persons kickout of Q1 can’t get through anymore. Deleting time they should do instant at that round not after Qualfying.
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2020, 15:32
@icarby It’d be grid penalty if anything.
sam198
14th November 2020, 15:57
For all those saying that Stroll did a stunning lap, let’s not forget it was Perez who was on provisional pole (and ahead of his teammate) for 11 out of 12 minutes in Q3 and would have gone faster if Gio didn’t spoil his last lap. credit where credit is due, Stroll did a great job, but it would easily have been Perez on pole and it isn’t just Stroll being out of this world
ian dearing
14th November 2020, 16:07
Given the number of drivers involved I expect no action or a mild slap on the wrist.