FIA reach verdict after Isack Hadjar, Max Verstappen incident in Chinese GP qualifying
Isack Hadjar was summoned by the FIA in China
The Racing Bulls team have been hit with a €5,000 fine for Isack Hadjar’s unsafe release in Chinese Grand Prix qualifying.
Hadjar was summoned to the stewards after an incident involving Max Verstappen in Q3, which saw the rookie enter the pit lane directly in the path of the reigning World Champion’s Red Bull.
FIA confirm Racing Bulls fine over Isack Hadjar incident
After hearing from both drivers and representatives from both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, the stewards have decided on a fine of €5,000 for the latter.
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A financial punishment means Hadjar is free to take up seventh place of the grid for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, having outqualified established team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in just his second F1 appearance in Shanghai on Saturday.
The stewards’ verdict read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 6 (Isack Hadjar), the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video and in-car video evidence and determine as follows.
“The driver of Car 6 stated that he followed the instructions of his pit lane representative (‘the Number 1’) and came out of the garage when requested to do so.
“He was slightly late in exiting the garage but in any event it was clear that the release was late and that resulted in Car 6 being released into the path of Car 1. The driver of Car 1 had to take evasive action to avoid a collision or risk flat spotting his tyres if he braked hard.
“The team representative accepted that the team made a mistake in this instance.
“We accordingly imposed a fine of €5,000 to the team.”
Haas driver Oliver Bearman, meanwhile, was cleared of impeding Lance Stroll in Q1 when he joined the growing list of rookies summoned to the stewards’ office in Shanghai.
Bearman was given a spot on the naughty step for allegedly impeding Stroll at Turn 13 in Q1, but the stewards ruled “no further action” was required after Stroll accepted the Haas driver had “not impacted” his lap time.
“The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 87 (Oliver Bearman), the driver of Car 18 (Lance Stroll), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence and determined as follows,” read the stewards’ decision.
“STR informed us that although Car 87 came into the racing line after Turn 13 he was not impeded and his lap time was not impacted. We confirmed this from the telemetry.
“While BEA acknowledged that with the benefit of hindsight he could have done more to get out of the way, in the circumstances, he did his best not to impact STR, which STR accepted.
“We therefore took no further action.”
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