FIA Issues late penalty Verdict After Pit-Lane Drama Involving l...

FIA Issues late penalty Verdict After Pit-Lane Drama Involving l… read more

The FIA has released its official verdict following a dramatic incident during Formula 2 qualifying, where Franco Colapinto’s car caused temporary disruption in the pit lane. The Argentine driver found himself stranded at the pit lane exit in Q1, unable to move his car as he attempted to begin his final flying lap.

Colapinto had lined up at the end of the pit lane, preparing to start his last run of the session when he radioed his team, reporting that his car wouldn’t accelerate. This unexpected technical glitch left him effectively stuck in place, creating a bottleneck situation as other drivers queued behind him, eager to get out on track for their crucial final laps.

Despite the momentary hold-up, the other cars managed to navigate around Colapinto and complete their out laps in time to record final lap times. Unfortunately for Colapinto, his issue was never resolved. After crawling slightly forward and crossing the pit exit line, he steered his car to the right side of the pit exit road and ended his session early, unable to take part in the final minutes of Q1.

Following the incident, the FIA stewards launched a routine investigation into the situation. They examined whether Colapinto and his team had breached any regulations by attempting to leave the pit lane while dealing with a known technical issue. The scrutiny involved analysis of video footage, team radio communication, and onboard camera evidence.

However, the stewards concluded that neither the driver nor the team was at fault. In their official statement, the FIA explained that Car 43 (Colapinto) encountered a genuine technical problem while in the fast lane. Both the driver and the team made multiple attempts to fix the issue but were unsuccessful. Once it became clear the problem could not be resolved, Colapinto sensibly pulled over to the side of the pit exit road, having already crossed the pit exit line, and exited the car.

The FIA added that Colapinto’s handling of the situation did not breach any rules or regulations. They emphasized that, although the efforts to fix the car were ultimately unsuccessful, the conduct of both team and driver remained within the bounds of the sporting code.

As a result, the stewards opted to take no further action. The incident, while causing brief inconvenience to other drivers, was judged to be an unfortunate but rule-abiding event. Colapinto’s qualifying ended in disappointment, but with no penalties or bl

ame assigned.