The penalty point on the license received in last year’s Mexican Grand Prix had pushed Pierre Gasly just two points away from the penalty that would have led to his exclusion for one race. In fact, as required by the sporting regulations, disqualification for a Grand Prix is triggered by the achievement of twelve penalty points in the course of a calendar year, while once the penalty has been served, the driver starts from scratch. Alternatively, drivers get their license points back exactly one year after committing the offence.
With the sanction in Mexico City remedied last season in an attempt to overtake Lance Stroll, Gasly had risen to ten points, just two points from a possible ban for a race, so much so that many had even advanced the crazy idea of serving that sanction at the end of the last championship, before the Frenchman began his Alpine adventure.
An idea that clearly did not materialize, but which led the transalpine to have to deal with the risk of disqualification for various rounds of the world championship, not only at the end of 2022, but also at the beginning of 2023.
Pierre Gasly, Alpino A523
Photo by: Alpine
Gasly had been punished on six occasions during the 2022 season, starting with the two points he received in May during the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix for an accident also with the Canadian from Aston Martin. Other points were earned for a collision with Sebastian Vettel at the weekend of the Austrian Grand Prix and for exceeding the speed limit under the red flag in Japan.
Important points, which then added to those obtained in the United States for not respecting the maximum limit of ten cars in the Safety Car situation and for taking Stroll off the track in an overtaking attempt.
After being just two penalty points away from a possible disqualification, the Alpine driver was able to keep himself out of trouble, although he still risked a fine in some situations, particularly at the Grand Prix weekend. of Australia for a contact with his teammate.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz / Motorsport Images
With the cancellation of the Imola stage, rightly canceled following the floods that sadly hit Emilia-Romagna in recent weeks, Gasly is back to breathing. After the calendar year, in fact, the Frenchman will recover the two points despite him received in Spain last season, going from ten to eight points on the licence.
Although he is still at risk of disqualification in case he commits further infringements during the season, given that he will only recover two more points towards mid-July, this will allow him to have more breathing space in the next rounds of the championship.
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