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Seven drivers were cleared after being investigated by stewards for possible illegal communications on the second formation lap of the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race.
Mick Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo, George Russell, Esteban Ocon, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel were all summoned for a potential breach of Article 33.1 of the Formula 1 sporting regulations during the second formation lap that was triggered by Zhou Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo temporarily stopping approaching the grid.
This rule states that “the driver must drive the car alone and unaided”, which is interpreted to mean that there can be no communication from the pitwall to the driver during a formation lap.
A technical directive has long been in force permitting certain safety-based and procedural communication, which allows for simple messages such as being told the start is aborted or that the last car has formed up on the grid. But otherwise, this regulation prevents advice that could give a competitive advantage in terms of managing the tyre temperatures or calling a driver in before the start for a strategic tyre change.
All seven drivers investigated were informed over the radio that the start had been aborted and that there was an extra formation lap. They were also all told to activate the pit limiter for the second formation lap, which is understood by The Race to have been the concern raised by race director Niels Wittich when he referred the matter to the stewards.
The stewards, including ex-Arrows F1 racer Enrique Bernoldi, concluded that no action was necessary. This was because they “determined that the messages that were under investigation were permitted”, meaning that all the instructions given are on the list of what is allowed.
Schumacher was told by race engineer Gary Gannon “start aborted, extra formation lap, pitlane speed limiter on for the extra formation lap”.
Ricciardo’s race engineer Tom Stallard gave two messages. The first was “extra formation lap, Daniel, extra formation lap, pit limiter on” while on the grid. He then said during the lap “Daniel, Zhou had a problem, he’s got going again but he should enter the pitlane at the end of this lap.”
Perez was told “aborted start. OK, extra formation lap. Checo, pit limiter on. Race distance reduced by one lap”.
The two Aston Martin drivers were both given similar messages, with Stroll told “aborted start, aborted start, extra formation lap, pit limiter, pit limiter, extra formation lap” and Vettel told “we have aborted start, we have aborted start, so pit limiter on, one more formation”.
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon was told “start aborted, extra formation lap, start aborted, extra formation lap, pit limiter reminder”, with George Russell simply told “start aborted, extra formation lap, use limiter”.
Several of these drivers also got the usual message about the last car on the grid at the end of the formation lap.
Had the communications been deemed illegal, time penalties could potentially have been issued.
The most recent precedent for this was the 10-second penalty Kevin Magnussen was hit with after finishing ninth on the road in the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix, that dropped him to 10th place. That was for communication on the formation lap that led to him pitting for slicks before the start.
