Alex Albon will start the Sprint from 19th after exceeding track limits in SQ1.
During SQ1, the Williams driver clearly exceeded track limits in turn 6. However this was not reported to the stewards until SQ2 had commenced.
Albon’s time recorded on the lap that track limits were exceeded was sufficient to place it in SQ2. Hence at the time the stewards were informed that he had left the track and that his lap should have been potentially deleted, he was already on track in SQ2.
As this was an unusual situation, the stewards decided to settle the matter by exercising their authority under Article 11.7.1.a of the International Sporting Code by deleting the lap time of the lap in question in SQ1.
As Albon should not have proceeded into SQ2, all lap times from SQ2 were consequently be deleted and he will therefore be classified 19th in Sprint Qualifying.
All of which was highly frustrating for Liam Lawson who narrowly missed the cut in SQ1. As SQ2 got underway the kiwi ran to his car and climbed in, thereby signalling that there was a potential issue. However, by the time the issue had been investigated it was too late.
Elsewhere, Lando Norris was summoned by the stewards for an alleged breach of Article B1.8.5 of the FIA F1 Regulations and Article 12.2.1.i of the FIA International Sporting Code (non-compliance with the Race Director’s Competition Notes, item 1, document 20), in that he failed to stay below the required time limit as stipulated by the Race Director’s Competition Notes.
The 2025 world champion was within the approved delta time for almost the whole lap until just before turn 17, where he was suddenly passed by Nico Hulkenberg. That then forced the McLaren driver to react to create a necessary and appropriate gap to set up a push lap.
The stewards considered this an extenuating circumstance and determined that he did not drive unnecessarily slowly and therefore no further action was taken.
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