April 21, (THEWILL)- Renault-owned Alpine face a €10,000 penalty from Formula 1 stewards following a chaotic pitstop during Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix. The incident left a mechanic flat on the ground after Pierre Gasly’s car was incorrectly released before the right rear tyre was properly fitted.
The French driver received the green light to exit the pitbox when a team member mistakenly clicked the button to release the car. However, Gasly was promptly stopped before leaving the pitbox, resulting in a mechanic falling backwards amid the confusion, although they were able to continue working for the remainder of the race.
Stewards determined that Gasly was not at fault for the incident and held Alpine solely responsible for the pitstop mishap. The team has endured a challenging start to the season, failing to score any points in the first five races and currently sitting second-last in the constructors’ championship.
Despite introducing an upgraded car for Esteban Ocon, Alpine’s drivers finished outside the points, with Gasly in 13th and Ocon in 11th place. Team principal Bruno Famin acknowledged the incident, stating: “Thankfully nobody was hurt, and we will investigate the reasons to avoid such incidents in future.”
The €10,000 fine serves as a reminder of the high-pressure environment in Formula 1 and the importance of meticulous attention to detail during pitstops, where split-second decisions can have significant consequences.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
