George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have both been given one-place grid penalties for a pit lane infringement in qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Mercedes drivers were waiting at the end of the pit lane during a red flag delay during Q2, having emerged from the team’s garage when an estimated restart time was given. However, regulations now dictate cars can only join the fast lane once a confirmed time is given, with the estimated time provided to allow them to prepare but still subject to change.
Mercedes admitted it was a genuine error made at a race where its sporting director Ron Meadows is not present, but was unable to argue against receiving a grid penalty, costing Russell a front-row start.
“The team representative, Mr. [Andrew] Shovlin, in evidence stated that he gave the instruction for the cars to be released, in error, having misinterpreted the message posted on page 3 of the Timing Screen, ‘estimated restart time’ to be a message advising the actual restart time,” the stewards’ decision read. “He argued that there was no sporting advantage gained in this case as there was sufficient time remaining (11 minutes) for other teams to perform their run plans.
“The FIA Single Seater Sporting Director stated that such a move could be a sporting advantage in that it could enable a team to perform its run plan whereas other teams may not be able to.
“The Stewards agree with this view, particularly where there are only a few minutes remaining in the session.
“The FIA Sporting Director argued that there needed to be a sporting penalty rather than a team fine, otherwise in future teams would release their cars as soon as the estimated re-start time was published. The Stewards agree with this view.
“Mr. Shovlin argued that it was possible to give a non sporting penalty if the Stewards declared that it was not to be taken as a precedent but also stated that if a sporting penalty was to be given, it should be mitigated.
“The Stewards agreed with the view that this breach required a sporting penalty however accept that the breach was unintentional and a genuine mistake by the team for which Mr. Shovlin apologized. We decide to impose a one-position grid penalty. A similar breach in different circumstances, could entail a more severe sporting penalty, in future.”
The penalty sees Russell demoted to third place on the grid behind Charles Leclerc, while Antonelli drops to fifth place and is replaced in fourth by Pierre Gasly.
