Formula 1 had another twist in the Miami GP Sprint Qualifying. Alex Albon was penalized after the FIA admitted it did not identify a track limits violation at the correct time.
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The case directly impacts the Sprint starting grid and raises questions about the control of decisions during the session. The initial failure allowed Albon to advance to SQ2, disadvantaging other drivers.
The infraction occurred still in SQ1, when the Williams driver exceeded track limits at turn 6. However, the irregularity was not reported to the stewards before the start of SQ2, which allowed his improper classification for the next phase.
The situation was only reviewed after an alert from Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson’s team, who was eliminated at that moment. The New Zealander even waited in the car during SQ2, hoping for a possible review, but the decision did not come in time.
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With the subsequent correction, the FIA decided to erase Albon’s lap in SQ1, which completely changes his position. As a consequence, the driver also loses all times recorded in SQ2 and drops to 19th position on the Sprint grid.
In a statement, the entity explained: “Car 23 clearly exceeded track limits at turn 6 during SQ1, but this was not reported before the start of SQ2.” The FIA added that, due to the unusual situation, it chose to apply the correction based on its regulatory powers.
Before the review, Albon had qualified 14th, ahead of names like Carlos Sainz. With the decision, the grid undergoes a significant change, while the episode reinforces the importance of quick responses in decisive Formula 1 sessions.
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