5
Pierre Gasly has officially been disqualified from the qualifying session in Baku.
The FIA confirmed that the Red Bull driver “had exceeded the maximum allowed fuel mass flow of 100 kg/hour when doing the fastest lap” during Q1.
Gasly was already going to start from the pit lane, as he received a penalty on Friday evening for missing the signal to come to the weigh bridge during the second practice session.
Gasly took on a new gearbox after his pit lane start was confirmed, meaning he also received a 5-place grid penalty.
"The Stewards reviewed the evidence from the Technical Delegate and heard from the team representatives," read a Stewards statement. "The Stewards find that the fuel mass flow exceeded 100kg/h during the fastest lap set by car 10."
Gasly topped the Q1 session, as he picked up a slipstream down the start-finish straight, capping off what Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described as a "strong lap".
Esteban Ocon was disqualified from the US Grand Prix in 2018 for breaching this regulation, while Daniel Ricciardo had a podium finish stripped from him on his Red Bull debut for being deemed guilty of breaking the rule.
Article 5.1.4 in the FIA technical regulations states that "fuel mass flow must not exceed 100kg/h". This is the first time in the turbo hybrid era that a car has been investigated over fuel flow in qualifying.
Sources from the Baku pit lane have informed our editors that Red Bull and Honda may have purposely breached the regulations.
As Gasly was already set to start from the pit lane, it was a prime opportunity for Red Bull to test the Honda power unit and get an understanding of its performance.
The information may be valuable to those inside the team about the fuel limit and what performance is possible regarding increased fuel flow.
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
67,363 comments on Alpha Tauri
3 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Pierre Gasly
821,677 comments on Red Bull Racing 678 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Red Bull Racing
Replies (5)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Who's wife did he invite for "cake"?!
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
But seriously, first a pitlane start penalty, now a disq penalty? Who's wife ( or hubby, let's be openminded) did he have a fun night with?
cricho
Posts: 80
Do they do this on purpose? Or is it a team/mechanical problem? Why is fuel flow always at normal levels and rhen suddenly this .....,, whos fault?
Manto02
Posts: 93
A F1 insider some years ago said that during the seasons many teams had higher fuel flow levels like this case but fia did nothing because they should have disqualified too many drivers (and race winners)
Pistonhead
Posts: 556
I wonder how many other teams are now tightening up their own 'policies'?