FIA reveals Monaco Grand Prix verdict after Hulkenberg, Leclerc incident

Nico Hulkenberg avoided a penalty for impeding Charles Leclerc during qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix as the stewards ruled the German had been given incorrect information by his race engineer.

Audi received a warning for the infringement.

Nico Hulkenberg avoids penalty after Charles Leclerc impeding investigation

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On track during Q2 in Saturday’s qualifying, a slow-moving Hulkenberg unintentionally impeded Leclerc in the tunnel at the Monte Carlo street circuit.

Race Control noted the driver’s actions and referred it to the stewards for a post-session investigation.

Hulkenberg avoided a grid penalty as the stewards found that his race engineer, Steven Petrik, had given him incorrect information about the traffic behind him.

Audi was handed a warning for breaching Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code.

“The Stewards heard from the driver and team representative of Car 27 (Nico Hulkenberg), the team representative of Car 16 (Charles Leclerc) and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence,” read the FIA verdict.

“Car 16 was on a prep lap and Car 27 was on a cool down lap and therefore the two cars were on different speed strategies.

“Car 27 was advised by the team that it was “all clear behind” and this was not correct and accordingly a warning is imposed on the team.”

Hulkenberg will start Sunday’s race 13th on the grid.

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But having featured in the top ten in all three practice sessions, the German was perplexed by his lack of pace in qualifying.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” he said when asked about it. “Bit of a question mark. I just don’t know.

“It plateaued out for us, the grip level, and I’m struggling to find lap time, so I don’t know. It seems like the others were able to find more when it mattered, and we didn’t.

“It was just all really nip and tuck. It was a clean lap, but just not good enough. But I don’t know, we had quite a bit of traffic, I think, on my last lap as well.”

Asked if he thought Q3 would’ve been in reach, he simply replied: “Yep.”

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