(Motorsport-Total.com) – After the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar still had to worry about their podium places. Both drivers came under the scrutiny of the race stewards after the race because they may have violated the prescribed distances to the car in front during a safety car phase.
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Both Hamilton and Hadjar were investigated because they allegedly maintained more than the permitted ten car lengths distance from the car in front at times. A violation of the corresponding FIA regulations could have resulted in retrospective penalties and thus affected the race result in the worst case.
Ultimately, however, both the Ferrari driver and the Red Bull driver escaped without consequences. Hamilton was allowed to keep his second place, Hadjar his surprising third place and thus the podium in Monte Carlo.
Accusation against both drivers identical
The investigations against Hamilton and Hadjar proceeded almost identically. In both cases, the race stewards had received reports from race control that the drivers might have left too much distance to the car in front during the safety car phase.
According to the regulations, drivers behind the safety car are generally not allowed to maintain more than ten car lengths distance. The rule is intended to prevent larger gaps from forming and the field from being stretched out during the restart.
For the stewards, the situation was initially serious enough to officially investigate both incidents. Position data, videos, telemetry, timing information, radio messages, and onboard footage were evaluated. However, the result was in favor of the drivers.
FIA refers to safety exception
In their reasoning, the stewards referred to an already existing interpretation of the regulation that had been communicated by race control previously.
Accordingly, race control had already stated at an earlier event that a certain tolerance range would be accepted for safety reasons. The background to this is the special requirements of modern Formula 1 cars during safety car phases.
In these situations, drivers not only have to keep their tires at temperature but also carry out complex processes related to the power unit and energy management. For this, they occasionally need additional space to the vehicle in front.
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The race stewards explicitly referred to this already known line from race control and therefore came to the same verdict in both cases: “No further action” – no further measures.
Red Bull comes under scrutiny once again
However, Hadjar’s race weekend did not remain entirely without an FIA file entry. In parallel, another report from the Technical Delegate emerged, referring to his Red Bull.
Accordingly, team members are said to have carried out work on Hadjar’s vehicle during a race interruption, which is not permitted according to Article B5.14.4.a of the Sporting Regulations.
The report states that team mechanics worked on car number 6 at 16:55 Uhr. However, when the FIA inquired, the work was immediately stopped. In addition, the car was returned to its original condition without any parts being replaced.
The Technical Delegate then forwarded the incident to the race stewards.
Why this case also ended leniently
The fact that Hadjar still stood on the podium in the end already shows how the matter turned out. The stewards saw no sufficient reason for a sporting penalty that would have affected the race result. It was crucial that the work was stopped immediately and no components were replaced or permanently altered.
Thus, an initially nerve-wracking afternoon for the podium drivers ultimately ended without consequences. Hamilton and Hadjar had to endure several investigations, but were able to leave Monaco with their trophies and the corresponding championship points.
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