Verstappen and Hamilton escape grid penalties

MEXICO CITY — No additional motion has been taken in opposition to drivers who had been investigated for impeding different automobiles within the pit lane throughout qualifying on the Mexican Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen, George Russell and Fernando Alonso had been all beneath investigation for blocking the exit of the pit lane as they slowed to a cease with the intention to create a spot to the automobile in entrance as they left the pits.

The issue has occurred at a variety of latest races after FIA race director Niels Wittich began implementing a minimal lap time between the SC2 and SC1 strains (strains on the observe after the pit lane exit and earlier than the doorway to the pit lane) for laps throughout qualifying.

The concept of the minimal lap time was to forestall drivers going slowly within the ultimate sector of the lap throughout their out-lap with the intention to create a spot to the automobile in entrance. The priority was a gradual transferring automobile may very well be harmful if one other driver is arriving in the identical a part of the circuit on a flying lap.

The stewards investigated all three drivers in Mexico and decided their gradual exits from the pit lane, through which a number of automobiles had been pressured to queue behind, had been an unlucky however finally unavoidable facet impact of the minimal lap time.

“The stewards contemplate that the complete set of incidents occurred as a direct results of the implementation of the minimal lap time between SC2 and SC1 which is designed (accurately so, in our view) to keep away from harmful backing-up of automobiles on the circuit throughout qualification,” the stewards stated in an announcement.

“We notice that there are opposite necessities on drivers in that they have to respect the minimal time, they’re trying to create manageable gaps to automobiles in entrance, but they’re additionally required to keep away from unnecessarily stopping on the pit exit or driving unnecessarily slowly.

“All events together with the Stewards are firmly of the view that it’s higher to have the potential of automobiles backing-up within the pit lane or on the pit exit, as a substitute of the possibly harmful scenario of huge pace variations on observe.

“We contemplate that in the primary all drivers concerned in these incidents had been appearing in good religion and with security as a precedence. We additionally settle for that race route has taken the proper strategy in apply the minimal lap time. It’s fascinating that higher resolution be discovered for the pit exit nonetheless at this stage, what that resolution can be, is unknown.”

The choice means all three drivers will retain their grid positions, with Verstappen set to begin in third place behind the 2 Ferraris on the entrance row of the grid.

Lewis Hamilton, who certified sixth, was additionally cleared of any wrongdoing in a separate incident the place he was alleged to have gone too quick beneath yellow flags at Flip 3 throughout Q1.

“The on-board video clearly exhibits there isn’t any mild or flag exhibited to Automobile 44 on the straight into Flip 1, then a inexperienced mild exhibits as he enters Flip 2, which is adopted by 2 pulses of a yellow mild then moments later, the sunshine panel is clean,” the stewards stated.

“The motive force was barely slower within the mini sector than on his earlier push lap. Our willpower is that there was no breach of the rules.”