Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Nico Hülkenberg handed a three-place grid penalty

Nico Hülkenberg saved his finest qualifying session of the 2024 marketing campaign for the season finale, placing his VF-24 onto the second row alongside Carlos Sainz Jr. with a P4 efficiency on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

However the Haas driver won’t begin there.

After qualifying fourth, Hülkenberg was given a three-place grid penalty following the session for overtaking on the pit lane exit highway throughout qualifying. Throughout Q1 Hülkenberg handed Alpine driver Jack Doohan on the exit, placing him vulnerable to an investigation. Race officers summoned Hülkenberg to satisfy with them at 7:50 p.m. native time.

On Friday the occasion notes have been printed, which included this language about passing on the pit lane exit. (The doc itself is obtainable as Doc 13 at this hyperlink):

Following the assembly with the stewards they issued their resolution. In response to the choice, Hülkenberg violated this directive:

In response to the choice, on the listening to Hülkenberg conceded that he violated the directions, however “said that he had no different choice however to breach the principles with a purpose to get a lap in” because of the distinctive configuration of the pit lane exit in Abu Dhabi, which is a tunnel that takes drivers below the observe earlier than rejoining the circuit.

The stewards famous the distinctive format, in addition to the crew’s place on pit lane, pose challenges. Nonetheless, in response to race officers, the penalty was acceptable. “[T]he place of the crew’s garages limits their choices to ship the automobiles out on observe, this will by no means be used as an excuse to breach any laws,” wrote the stewards. “The prohibition of overtaking in sure areas because the pit lane or, on this case, the pit exit, is carried out to stop probably harmful conditions and due to this fact the Stewards decide {that a} grid drop is warranted on this case.”

The penalty mirrors a second from final season. On the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix Hülkenberg took benefit of some moist situations and certified second, however was dropped to fifth after being handed a three-place grid penalty for failing to decelerate below pink flag situations.

This penalty comes at a vital second for Haas, because the crew is locked in a decent battle with Alpine for sixth place within the Constructors’ Championship. Hülkenberg was set to begin fourth, proper in entrance of Pierre Gasly, the lead Alpine driver who certified sixth.

Now, Hülkenberg will begin behind Gasly.

Haas trails Alpine by 5 factors — 59-54 — with the season finale on faucet tomorrow.