26/09/2021
NEWS STORY
To add to his Sochi woes, Lando Norris has been given a reprimand after crossing the white line at the pit entrance during today's Russian Grand Prix.
Following the race, which saw Norris lose an almost certain lead after failing to take his team's advice and pit for Inters, the McLaren driver was summoned by the stewards for crossing the white line when finally entering the pits to change tyres.
The stewards heard from Norris and his team representative, and having reviewed the video, radio and telemetry evidence determined that a breach of the regulations had been committed.
This was not considered as force majeure because it does not comply with the definition of force majeure in Article 20 of the FIA International Sporting Code.
However, the stewards took into account that on the previous lap Lewis Hamilton had passed through Turn 17 - adjacent to the pit entry - at a relatively high speed, without loss of control.
During the ensuing lap, the conditions deteriorated rapidly and were varied in different parts of the circuit.
Norris slowed considerably on entering the pit entry, with his speed approximately half of his normal pit entry speed, but still lost control and slid across the painted area between the pit entry and the track.
Although obviously the driver chose to remain out on the track on hard compound slick tyres when others chose to change to Intermediates, and therefore sought to gain an advantage in retaining his race position, the stewards did not consider that crossing of the painted area was intentional or predictable in the circumstances.
As a result, Norris, who finished seventh, was handed a reprimand, his first for the season.