Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will all start the Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane after their respective teams made changes to their cars under parc fermé conditions.
The FIA confirmed the decision in a technical report issued ahead of Sunday’s race at Marina Bay, detailing a series of power unit replacements and suspension adjustments carried out by Red Bull and Aston Martin.
While the three drivers face the same consequence, the circumstances behind their pit-lane starts differ, with Hadjar’s Red Bull undergoing the most extensive modifications.
Red Bull makes extensive changes to Hadjar’s RB22
Hadjar’s already challenging Singapore weekend has taken another turn after Red Bull elected to replace several power unit components following a difficult qualifying session.
The French driver will race with a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, exhaust system and auxiliary power unit component.
The replacements take Hadjar significantly beyond his permitted seasonal allocations under the 2026 regulations.
His new internal combustion engine is his eighth of the campaign, double the four units allowed without penalty. The turbocharger and exhaust system are both their seventh installations of the season, against an allocation of four each.
Red Bull has also fitted an eighth auxiliary power unit component, exceeding the permitted maximum of six.
However, the number of components used is not itself the reason Hadjar must start from the pit lane.
According to the FIA technical delegate’s report, the replacements were carried out without the required authorisation, constituting a breach of Article B3.5.4 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
Red Bull also altered the suspension configuration of Hadjar’s RB22 without obtaining the necessary approval.
Under parc fermé restrictions, teams are prohibited from making certain modifications once qualifying has begun unless the relevant conditions and authorisations are satisfied.
Breaching those restrictions can require a driver to start the race from the pit lane.
The changes follow a particularly frustrating sequence of mechanical problems for Hadjar.
Power unit difficulties disrupted his Sprint qualifying preparations before another failure forced him to retire from Saturday’s Sprint. A subsequent gearbox problem then compromised his qualifying session for the Grand Prix.
With little to gain from preserving his original starting position, Red Bull has taken the opportunity to address several technical issues ahead of the race, accepting a pit-lane start in the process.
Alonso faces further setback after power unit problems
Fernando Alonso will also begin Sunday’s race from the pit lane following modifications to his Aston Martin.
The two-time world champion has received a new turbocharger, his sixth of the season, exceeding the four-unit allocation permitted without penalty.
The replacement follows power unit difficulties experienced during Saturday’s running, which prompted Aston Martin to undertake further work before the Grand Prix.
However, the FIA report also identified unauthorised changes to Alonso’s suspension settings.
Those adjustments breached parc fermé restrictions and resulted in the requirement to start from the pit lane.
Alonso had already been due to start from the back of the grid, meaning the decision does not represent a substantial additional loss of track position.
Nevertheless, it adds another complication to what has already been a difficult weekend for the Spanish driver and his team.
Stroll joins Aston Martin teammate in pit-lane start
Lance Stroll completes the trio of drivers required to start from the pit lane.
Unlike Hadjar and Alonso, the FIA report does not identify any new power unit components fitted to the Canadian’s car.
Instead, Aston Martin made changes to Stroll’s suspension settings without the approval required under parc fermé regulations.
That infringement alone was sufficient to trigger a pit-lane start.
Both Aston Martin drivers will therefore begin the Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane, alongside Hadjar’s Red Bull.
Russell gains positions before the start
The developments could offer a small advantage to George Russell, who is already facing a recovery drive after a power unit change left him at the back of the grid.
With Hadjar, Alonso and Stroll all required to start from the pit lane, Russell will have three fewer competitors occupying positions on the starting grid.
Although that does not guarantee an easier race, it slightly improves the Mercedes driver’s circumstances before the lights go out.
For Hadjar and the Aston Martin pairing, meanwhile, the priority will be to turn a compromised starting position into a competitive race, with reliability and strategy likely to play important roles around the demanding Marina Bay circuit.
