Breaking:Stroll Receives Grid Penalty After major crash with… read more 

Stroll Receives Grid Penalty After major crash with… read more 

Lance Stroll has been handed a one-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix after a collision with Charles Leclerc during the first free practice session (FP1) on Friday. The incident occurred early in the session at the tight Turn 6 hairpin, where the Aston Martin driver moved back onto the racing line under braking after making way for another car. Unfortunately, Leclerc, who was on a flying lap in his Ferrari, was unable to avoid contact and ran into the back of Stroll’s car.

The impact resulted in damage to Leclerc’s front wing and prompted a red flag while marshals cleared the debris. Meanwhile, Stroll’s Aston Martin sustained significant damage, including a broken rear suspension, which ultimately kept him out of the remainder of the session. The team also opted to change his gearbox, which had been prepared in advance as part of a contingency plan for such an event.

After reviewing the footage and listening to both drivers’ statements, the race stewards deemed Stroll fully responsible for the incident. In their official statement, they noted that Stroll’s car “cut across the path of Car 16 (Leclerc) at Turn 6,” resulting in the Ferrari colliding into the back of Stroll’s Aston Martin. As a result, the stewards issued a one-place grid drop for Stroll and added one penalty point to his super licence.

Stroll explained to the stewards that although the Aston Martin team had warned him over the radio about the approaching Leclerc, he did not hear the message. The stewards concluded that Leclerc had no opportunity to avoid the crash and thus could not be held at fault.

The aftermath of the crash disrupted both drivers’ preparations for the weekend. Leclerc, despite the damage, managed to return to the session after repairs. However, Stroll missed out entirely on further FP1 running, limiting his valuable practice time on one of the most demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar.

During the Team Principals’ Press Conference, Aston Martin’s team boss Andy Cowell acknowledged that the team’s communication with Stroll needed improvement. “Our radio call wasn’t clear enough, is the bottom line, so we need to learn from that,” Cowell said. He also detailed the extent of the damage, citing a broken rear wishbone and damage to the floor. The team decided to install a new gearbox, one of two prepared ahead of the weekend, to ensure Stroll’s car would be ready for the next session.

Cowell expressed disappointment that Stroll missed out on the remainder of FP1, stressing that the lost track time could hamper his weekend. He added that the team would rely on Fernando Alonso’s data from the session to help inform the setup for both cars going forward.

The penalty means that Stroll will start one position lower than where he qualifies for Sunday’s race in Monte Carlo, adding to the challenge of racing on a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult.