The starting grid for the Qatar GP changes. The panel of commissioners has in fact decided to punish Valtteri Bottas with a 3-position retreat for not slowing down under the yellow flag during the qualifying sessions that took place yesterday evening in Losail, while he inflicted a retreat of 5 positions on the grid to Max Verstappen for not having lifted his foot under the double yellow flag.
It all happened in the final minutes of the session when Pierre Gasly, coming out of turn 15, hit the outer curb violently, thus destroying the front wing. The fragments in turn caused the puncture of the front right and the Frenchman was forced to stop the car at the edge of the track on the main straight.
The marshals immediately displayed the yellow flags (double yellow in the case of Max ed), but the luminous panels and the indications on the dashboard of the individual cars did not activate, continuing to indicate the green track.
Verstappen thus slightly improved his own reference, confirming himself however not able to attack the time trial obtained by Hamilton, while Bottas did not obtain an improvement in the times.
Max, Valtteri and Sainz also had to present themselves this morning at the college of commissioners to explain their respective reasons, but despite the chaos between the display of the yellow flags and the “green” signals of the luminous panels it was decided to punish the Dutch from Red Bull and the Finnish from Mercedes.
Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
But Carlos Sainz was grateful. The Spaniard from Ferrari was also targeted by the commissioners, but after being heard by the college he was deemed not punishable.
Sainz explained that he did not see the yellow flags but took his foot off the accelerator when he noticed Gasly’s car parked on the track, thus significantly reducing the speed in the micro sector.
The commissioners, after analyzing the telemetry, confirmed the Spanish version. In light of recent decisions, the starting grid has been turned upside down.
Hamilton will start from pole with Pierre Gasly at his side, while Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris will occupy the second row. Sainz was promoted to fifth place, while Bottas was relegated to sixth.
Max Verstappen, on the other hand, will have to start from eighth position with Yuki Tsunoda at his side.
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