On Saturday in Shanghai, qualifying lasted longer than expected: the results were only unfrozen in the Chinese evening with the exoneration of Sainz’s Ferrari, thus avoiding a penalty.
The crucial moment came during Q2. About seven minutes remained until the checkered flag when the Spanish Ferrari driver tackled the last corner with excessive bravado. The outer curb was unforgiving, and car #55 spun, potentially jeopardizing his qualifying session at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit.
A brief yellow flag period preceded a swift halt to the session. It took Carlos Sainz a while to restart, but eventually, he did. However, his actions aroused suspicion from Aston Martin, which, at the end of qualifying, lodged a protest, putting the Ferrari driver at risk of a penalty.
In support of their claim, Lawrence Stroll’s team cited Article 39.6 of the sporting regulations. This article states: “Any driver whose car stops on the track during qualifying will not be permitted to resume the session.”
Why did Carlos Sainz avoid a penalty in China?
After several hours of deliberation, the FIA issued its verdict. Ferrari was in the clear, and Carlos Sainz would not face any penalties in China.
1 minute and 17 seconds. That’s the time it took Carlos Sainz to find his way back to the pits. However, according to the British team, the race director should not have allowed car #55 to resume qualifying.
The FIA stewards opted for common sense: “It is clear from the explanation provided by Article 39.6. However, from examples provided by some team managers present and the FIA, it is evident that the case in question was not of such nature, and furthermore, this rule has not been applied in this manner in these contexts in the past.”
One factor, however, proved “critical” for the Federation. “The car did not receive any external assistance to restart (for example, from marshals).”
Too Long of a Wait?
The statement notes that Aston Martin accepted the examples provided by teams and the FIA in defense of Carlos Sainz. Thus, the issue turned to the timing of the restart: “Is 1 minute and 17 seconds too long?”
The FIA clarifies that there is no “clear indication” in the regulations to determine excessive waiting for a restart. Considering similar precedents in Canada, Monaco, and Baku, the FIA opted for “no further action.”
Custom does not reflect the article, which has never been applied literally. Consequently, “the decision is not inconsistent with the practice used, nor does it violate Article 39.6. Nothing justifies overturning the decision made by the Race Director.”
Behind the Scenes of the 2023 Belgian GP
Article 39.6, used by Aston Martin to support their case, had already been discussed during the Spa 2023 weekend. The note states: “The conclusion reached in that meeting was, among other things: ‘It was agreed to add <
However, this rule change was never officially made, “so we did not rely on these minutes,” explain the stewards. Nevertheless, the FIA recalled the agreement reached at Spa, observing that “it is consistent with the approach of the Race Director in Shanghai.”
N.B. The Aston Martin team had to pay €2000 as “appeal expenses.”
Source: f1ingenerale
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