An FIA spokesperson said in a statement on Monday: “The FIA Compliance Officer is in discussion with Lance Stroll in relation to several incidents that may have contravened FIA rules, policies and procedures during the Qatar Grand Prix”
Last Updated: 10/10/23 9:16pm
Lance Stroll “may have contravened FIA rules, policies and procedures” during the Qatar Grand Prix, according to a statement from an FIA spokesperson.
Sky Sports News understands this relates principally to Stroll’s behaviour after Friday’s qualifying. Stroll threw his steering wheel, and appeared not to observe correct weighing protocols.
The Canadian son of Aston Martin team owner Laurence Stroll also appeared to push his personal trainer out of the way as he left the garage following his Q1 exit for the fourth consecutive race.
He then gave a very short interview to F1 when he gave six words to three questions, underlining his disappointment.
Stroll has been consistently outperformed by team-mate Fernando Alonso this season
Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff said at the time: “It’s totally inappropriate. You cannot behave in that way.
“No matter how disappointing your day has been, those are the people that work to get you on track, to make it happen for you, you can’t be treating your team like that.
“It’s one thing to have a bad day, come out of the car and apologise. But to come out and act that way is just not good enough.
“He’s clearly distressed. We have to empathise because he’s a human-being, he’s got his emotions. He’s going through something but that doesn’t make it OK. You have to act better.
“Felipe Drugovich [Aston Martin’s reserve driver] is in the wings and he would more than grateful to be in that car and won’t behave that way.”
An FIA spokesperson said in a statement on Monday: “The FIA Compliance Officer is in discussion with Lance Stroll in relation to several incidents that may have contravened FIA rules, policies and procedures during the Qatar Grand Prix.”
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Stroll and Alex Albon are both seen struggling to get out of their cars from the onboard cameras at the end of a gruelling Qatar GP. Both drivers were given the all-clear after medical checks
Stroll finished just outside the points in 11th at the Qatar Grand Prix, having started from 17th on the grid. Team-mate Fernando Alonso, who finished sixth, is 136 points ahead of Stroll and has started every race inside the top 10, whereas the Canadian has only achieved that feat six times this season.
Alonso is 15-2 ahead in the qualifying head-to-head over Stroll, who missed the Singapore Grand Prix after a big crash in Q1.
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Stroll has a huge crash in his Aston Martin at the final corner during qualifying of the Singapore GP
Aston Martin are fourth in the constructors’ championship but only 11 points in front of McLaren, who have been quicker at recent events.
Karun Chandhok thinks Stroll’s disappointing performances will drop the team to fifth in the standings with six events remaining.
“It’s cost them in the constructors’ championship. Earlier in the year, we were looking at them being second in the constructors and they are likely to end up fifth with the way McLaren have caught up with them,” said Chandhok.
“The reality is he has scored less than a third of Alonso’s points. McLaren have benefitted that they two drivers racking up the points and it’s allowed them to catch up.”
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