Hulkenberg slapped with three-place grid penalty for overtaking on pit exit
7th December 2024Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg has been hit with a three-place grid penalty as the German overtook two cars on the pit exit, during qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Feature image credit: Haas F1
Hulkenberg has been hit with a three-place grid penalty for failing to follow the race director’s instructions in qualifying for the Formula 1 season finale: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The incident regarded a moment in qualifying when the German driver overtook two cars in the tunnel section of the pit exit.
Ahead of the event, drivers were prohibited from overtaking in certain areas of the pit lane, which included the pit exit, which was brought in to prevent any potentially dangerous situations in those areas.
After qualifying, Hulkenberg was summoned to the stewards for the incident of which he was accompanied by his team representative. From there, the driver, his team representative and the stewards reviewed marshalling system data, video, timing and in-car evidence.
Nico Hulkenberg has lost his fourth-place grid spot after being handed a three-place penalty for overtaking in the pit lane exit road in Q1 🚨 pic.twitter.com/MmaHw2c4X6
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) December 7, 2024
According to the stewards, Hulkenberg ‘did not dispute’ that he didn’t follow the Race Director’s instructions but claimed he needed to breach the rules ‘to get a lap in.’
The stewards acknowledged that Haas’ lower position in the pit lane, towards the pit exit, limited the team’s ability to get out on track but believed that it couldn’t ‘be used as an excuse to breach any regulations.’
As such, the stewards deemed a three-place grid penalty was a necessary punishment for Hulkenbergs actions.
In conclusion of the penalty, Hulkenberg will lose his fourth-place grid slot and will drop to seventh on the grid and it will promote Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Mercedes’ George Russell by one position each.
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
