FIA announce SHOCK disqualification at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix......

FIA announce SHOCK disqualification at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix…….read more

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend turned into a difficult one for Hitech’s Paul Aron, who was disqualified after his car was found to have an illegal modification. This event took place during the final round of the 2024 Formula 2 season, held at the Yas Marina Circuit, which also hosted the season finale of Formula 1.

The weekend had begun well for Aron, who is set to join Alpine as their F1 reserve driver in 2025. The Estonian driver had finished on the podium in the F2 Saturday sprint race, marking a successful start to the weekend. However, his celebration was short-lived when the FIA announced his disqualification due to a technical violation related to the car’s Drag Reduction System (DRS).

According to the FIA technical delegate, the DRS actuator on Aron’s car had been illegally modified. Specifically, the actuator had been lengthened by one millimetre, allowing a wider opening of the DRS wing. This modification gave Aron a performance advantage under DRS conditions, which is a breach of F2’s technical regulations. The DRS is a key component in F2, designed to allow drivers to reduce drag and increase speed on straights, and modifying its function is strictly forbidden.

As a result of the violation, the FIA not only disqualified Aron from the sprint race but also imposed a further penalty, instructing him to start from the pit lane for the feature race on Sunday. The FIA’s statement highlighted that the modification could only have been made deliberately, suggesting that the team either knew about the issue or should have noticed it if they had been diligent in inspecting the car. The Stewards, therefore, considered the offence to be serious enough to warrant an additional penalty beyond the disqualification from the sprint race.

In addition to the disqualification, the FIA’s statement also referenced Article 12.4.6 of the FIA International Sporting Code, which gives the Stewards the authority to impose further penalties for deliberate violations. The Stewards concluded that the deliberate nature of the modification made it appropriate for Aron to start the feature race from the pit lane, making his weekend even more challenging.

Despite the penalty, Aron raced in the feature race, finishing in 11th place. This result left him without any points for the weekend, making it a disappointing conclusion to what had begun as a promising event. The feature race saw a significant moment in the F2 championship, as Gabriel Bortoleto secured the title, beating Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar to the top spot.

The disqualification of Paul Aron served as a reminder of the strict technical regulations in Formula 2 and the importance of adhering to the rules. Teams and drivers in F2 are under intense scrutiny, and any violation, particularly one that provides a performance advantage, can result in severe consequences. For Aron, the disqualification and subsequent penalty cost him a chance at valuable points in the final race of the season, overshadowing his strong start in the sprint. Meanwhile, Bortoleto’s championship win was a high point in a season that had seen intense competition and high stakes for all involved.