Lando Norris will drop from sixth to ninth on the grid on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the stewards of the assembly penalized the McLaren driver for failing to pit underneath pink flags.

Norris did not return to the pit lane when the session was suspended for an accident involving Antonio Giovinazzi at Flip 15.

The foundations round pink flags clearly state that every one drivers ought to return to the pits, however Norris gave the impression to be caught in two minds over whether or not he ought to enter the pits and ducked into and out of the pit lane entry earlier than making a late determination to stay on monitor.

Crimson flags are often reserved for a severe incident that require marshals to enter the monitor to take away a automobile, which means all different automobiles are required to return to the pits.

In regular circumstances, breaking pink flag guidelines would lead to a five-place penalty however the stewards defined why they’d been extra lenient with Norris in a press release on Saturday night.

“The stewards heard from the driving force of Automotive 4 (Lando Norris) and workforce representatives and reviewed video and timing proof,” the assertion stated.

“Norris was simply on the lengthy start-finish-straight when pink flags had been displayed. Consequently, pink lights had been flashing on a panel on the left guardrail and on the automobile’s dashboard.

“Through the listening to the driving force admitted that he lifted the throttle, braked and was dedicated to and in a position to enter the pitlane. At that second he was undecided what to do and requested his workforce over the radio. Though the workforce ordered him instantly to enter the pits, it was too late and Norris crossed the end line yet another time.

“The stewards assume that if a pink flag isn’t revered throughout qualifying, a drop of 5 grid positions is acceptable.

“Nevertheless, in case you think about that the driving force solely had a really brief time to react as a result of his place on the monitor, a drop of three grid positions is ample as an exception.”

The three-place penalty was mixed with three penalty factors on Norris’ superlicence, bringing his complete to eight within the final 12 months.

Twelve penalty factors in a rolling 12-month interval lead to a race ban.