Red Bull’s Pierre Gasly must start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the pit lane after failing to stop at the weighbridge during second practice.
Gasly was called to the weighbridge at the end of the second practice session at the Baku City Circuit but did not oblige as required.
Gasly was immediately placed under investigation and on Friday evening stewards confirmed that he must start the race from the pit lane.
Stewards “reviewed video evidence and heard from the driver of Car 10 [Gasly] and the team representative” where it was determined he “failed to stop for weighing when required to do so.”
“Instead,he drove on and proceeded to do a pit stop where the car was worked on by lifting the car and all four wheels were changed.”
Drivers before have been given reprimands for missing the weighbridge but on those occasions the car was immediately returned to the relevant area, without work having been undertaken.
On Friday the work Red Bull carried out after Gasly missed the weighbridge meant he was in breach of Article 29.1 of the Sporting Regulations, for which a pit lane start is the penalty.
It is a further setback for Gasly amid a difficult start to the 2019 season, with the Frenchman having amassed only 13 points from the opening three events.
