Nico Hulkenberg faces a 3-place grid drop in Abu Dhabi after breaching pit lane rules during qualifying.
The stewards heard from Nico Hulkenberg, under investigation for overtaking in the pit lane during qualifying in Abu Dhabi.
The German did not dispute during the hearing that he had failed to follow the race director’s instructions but stated that he “had no choice but to break the rules to set a timed lap.”
“While the stewards acknowledge that the team’s garage position limits their options for releasing cars onto the track, this can never be used as an excuse for breaking a regulation.”
“The prohibition of overtaking in certain areas, such as the pit lane or, in this case, the pit exit, is enforced to prevent potentially dangerous situations. Therefore, the stewards deem a grid penalty justified in this case.”
The penalty imposed is a 3-place drop, moving Pierre Gasly ahead of him, a direct competitor for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
The revised starting grid:
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:23.682 | 1:23.098 | 1:22.595 |
| 02 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:23.640 | 1:23.199 | 1:22.804 |
| 03 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:23.487 | 1:22.985 | 1:22.824 |
| 04 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | 1:23.516 | 1:22.998 | 1:22.945 |
| 05 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A524 | 1:23.548 | 1:23.086 | 1:22.984 |
| 06 | George Russell | Mercedes W15 | 1:23.678 | 1:23.823 | 1:23.132 |
| 07 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 1:23.722 | 1:23.040 | 1:22.886 |
| 08 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | 1:23.794 | 1:23.268 | 1:23.196 |
| 09 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 1:23.481 | 1:23.341 | 1:23.204 |
| 10 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | 1:23.559 | 1:23.379 | 1:23.264 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:23.735 | 1:23.419 | |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:23.733 | 1:23.472 | |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | 1:23.729 | 1:23.784 | |
| 14 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 1:23.632 | 1:28.877 | |
| 15 | Guanyu Zhou | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 1:23.880 | ||
| 16 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W15 | 1:23.887 | ||
| 17 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault A524 | 1:24.105 | ||
| 18 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW46 | 1:23.821 | ||
| 19 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:23.302 | 1:23.833 | |
| 20 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes FW46 | 1:23.912 |
Hulkenberg Penalized After Pit Lane Breach in Qualifying Hulkenberg Penalized After Pit Lane Breach in Qualifying
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