Williams was penalized by the FIA stewards after an incident during the qualifying session for the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. The team received a fine of 5,000 euros after a situation in the pits that almost resulted in an accident involving Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls.
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The incident occurred during Q2 and led to Alex Albon being summoned to provide clarification to the stewards. After analyzing the images and reports, the FIA concluded that there was a risk situation caused by the movement of Williams cars in the pit area.
According to the stewards’ report, Carlos Sainz was stopped in front of the team’s garage when Albon approached. To continue his way, the Thai-British driver had to go around his teammate, a maneuver that momentarily blocked Lindblad’s entry into his own pit box.
The investigation indicated that the situation had the potential for more serious consequences. According to the official decision, Lindblad almost hit the foot of one of the mechanics working on Albon’s car at that moment.
During the hearing, Williams acknowledged that the situation could have been managed differently. For this reason, in addition to a formal warning, the stewards chose to apply a financial penalty due to the safety risk identified in the incident.
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Despite the penalty, the drivers’ qualifying positions were not altered. Albon finished the session in 11th place, while Sainz was right behind him in 12th position. Lindblad, involved in the episode, finished the qualifying session in 15th.
Another case analyzed by the stewards after the session involved Nico Hulkenberg and Charles Leclerc. Audi received a warning after the German impeded the Ferrari driver inside the Monte Carlo tunnel. The investigation concluded that Hulkenberg was on a cool-down lap and had been informed by the team that no cars were approaching from behind, while Leclerc was on a preparation lap.
With the decisions announced, the FIA concluded the main disciplinary analyses stemming from the Monaco qualifying session, keeping the sporting result obtained on track unchanged.
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