Infringement Car 18 Post Qualifying Weighing
Spanish Grand Prix · 2025 · 1 June 2025 · Doc 27
- Driver
- Lance Stroll
- Team
- Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
- Session
- Qualifying
2025 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
30 May - 01 June 2025
From The Stewards
To The Team Manager,
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team Document 27 Date 01 June 2025 Time 12:16
The Stewards, having received a report from the Technical Delegate (document 18), summoned (document 20) and heard from the team representative, have considered the following matter and determine the following:
No / Driver 18 - Lance Stroll Competitor Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team Time 17:17 Session Qualifying Fact Driver of Car 18 failed to be weighed immediately after Qualifying. Infringement Breach of Article 35.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and noncompliance with Race Director's Event Notes (item 13, document 4). Decision Warning. Reason The Stewards heard from the team representative and the Technical Delegate and video, timing and in-car video evidence. The driver of Car 18 was unable to attend the hearing for the reasons elaborated upon below. The driver was eliminated in Q2 and was therefore required to be weighed by the Technical Delegate at the end of Q2. The Race Director's event notes (note 13) states cleary that: Any driver who finished participating in the qualifying sessions after Q1 and Q2 must proceed through the pit lane directly to the FIA scales immediately after they have returned to their team's garage. The drivers may not drink anything or do anything which increases their weight before it is recorded by the FIA. It is undisputed that the driver of Car 18 did not proceed through the pit lane directly to the FIA scales. We received a report from the Technical Delegate (Dcoument 18) informing us of this. After receiving this report we reviewed the video footage from the garage which showed the driver of Car 18 exiting the car and leaving the garage from the back (and not proceeding through the pit lane as required) We accordingly summoned the driver of Car 18 to a hearing before the Stewards at 1745. We were then informed that he was not able to attend the hearing due to a medical condition. We postponed the hearing till the driver was medically fit and the team was able to report on his condition and thereafter participate in the hearing. That evening, we were informed that due to the seriousness of the medical condition, Car 18 would be withdrawing from the race. Nevertheless, we proceeded with the hearing during the morning of the following day (ie on Race Day) and heard from the team representative then. The driver was not able to attend given the medical advice he had received.
The Stewards We were given two documents, a medical report and a letter from the driver. In the letter, the driver explained that the reason for failing to immediately attend the weighing was because he was in pain and sought urgent medical attention for the pain. He attended the weigh-in and the media pen as soon as he was able to, before heading to the medical centre for further evaluation. The medical report confirmed that there was a medical condition with the driver's right hand and wrist, requiring treatment. We were informed that subsequent medical tests confirmed this diagnosis and that the driver was advised not to drive and to rest. The team accordingly withdrew Car 18 for the driver being unfit through injury. Turning now to the alleged infringement, it is clear that the driver did not comply with the relevant regulations by not proceeding for weighing through the pit lane as required and by not getting weighed immediately. The weighing procedures are a fundamental element of the regulations designed to ensure sporting fairness and equity. They need to be complied with strictly. Failure to do so could result in serious consequence including a disqualification. Here the imposition of any of these penalties was rendered unnecessary due to the withdrawal of Car 18 from the race. In this case, we accept that the reason for the failure to comply was an unexpected and serious intervening medical condition. The health of the driver is of course paramount. Having said that, given the importance of the weighing procedure, the team ought to have immediately informed the relevant FIA delegates of the situation so that the appropriate assistance could have been rendered and any required observation of the driver could have been carried out with the benefit of the FIA team. We accordingly administer a warning to the team for the future to ensure that the FIA delegate(s) are promptly informed of any unforeseen circumstances which might delay/prevent the driver from complying with the regulations. Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.
Decisions of the Stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented.