Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified in fourth place for the Sprint race in Austria, faced an investigation by the stewards due to a pit incident during the session. The Haas driver accidentally hit his just-removed left-front tire in the pits while exiting his pit box after a mechanic had placed it on the ground near his car.
The stewards reviewed the incident and heard from a representative from Haas, ultimately deciding to impose a suspended fine of €5000 on the team. The fine will not be enforced unless there is a further unsafe release from the pits between now and the end of the season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The stewards acknowledged that the incident was unfortunate and unique. They noted that the removed wheel was held too close to the car and that Hulkenberg took a sharper angle of departure due to the car controller of the next team in the pit lane standing further out towards the fast lane than usual.
The stewards were impressed with the quality of the team’s investigations and report, as well as the corrective actions proposed by Haas to avoid similar incidents in the future. These corrective actions involve changes to procedures and crew positioning during pit stops.
Nico Hulkenberg, known for his strong qualifying performances, expressed his satisfaction with his fourth-place qualifying position for the Sprint race. Despite not having new soft tires available and opting for used mediums, he felt good rhythm with the car and was pleased with the outcome.
Looking ahead to the Sprint race, Hulkenberg acknowledged the challenge of the cars behind him and emphasized the importance of maintaining his position. He anticipated a tough battle in the race and was prepared to fight for a strong result.
While Hulkenberg has enjoyed success in qualifying, Haas has faced difficulties during race day. The team is determined to capitalize on their qualifying performance and aims to deliver a competitive showing in the Sprint race.
