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The Ferrari driver appeared to sluggish within the tunnel as Norris’ speedy McLaren approached from behind on a flying lap, forcing him to take evasive motion.
Leclerc had been set to line up third for his residence race, however will now drop to sixth. Norris will begin tenth for Sunday’s race.
The FIA stewards mentioned Leclerc “had completed his ultimate lap of Q3 and was within the Flip 4 by Flip 10 complicated. Norris was on a quick lap and caught Leclerc in the midst of the tunnel and was clearly impeded.”
They added: “Each drivers agreed that there was little that Leclerc may have safely achieved within the tunnel to keep away from impeding Norris, given the issue in imaginative and prescient as a result of mild coming into and within the tunnel and the change of traces from one aspect of the tunnel to the opposite.
“In actual fact, the Stewards noticed that Leclerc reacted in a wise method to a blue flag displayed by the marshals, however at this level it was too late.”
The FIA doc added that the stewards had reviewed Leclerc’s radio and located Ferrari had failed to provide him any warning about Norris’ method till Norris was already immediately behind him.
They mentioned: “Additional, the dialogue through the previous portion of the observe was completely about competing drivers, not the visitors behind, which is a vital activity at this observe.
“The Stewards imagine that there’s a lot that Leclerc may have achieved previous to the tunnel to keep away from the impeding had he acquired warning from the group at an applicable time, particularly contemplating that Norris’ method was clear on the marshalling system.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23
Picture by: Jake Grant / Motorsport Images
After the incident, Norris mentioned: “With Charles’s incident, it is at all times robust round right here. I assume it did destroy my lap. However the stewards clearly deemed it needed, I assume.
“I believe he did what he may. However if you hearken to the group radio, they’re simply telling him about Verstappen’s lap and giving him reside updates, quite than concentrating on who’s behind him, which I do not actually perceive. However it’s what it’s.”
McLaren group principal Andrea Stella added: “These sorts of incidents can occur. Sadly, Charles was on the racing line, probably may need not been knowledgeable.
“We simply reported what we thought the incident was about. It adjustments our afternoon probably by a few positions.
“However we all know on the identical time that it is robust for everybody, and I suppose he was simply not knowledgeable by the group. As a result of in any other case it was a bit of too apparent. to be on the racing line beneath the tunnel, it is very harmful.”
Talking to Sky earlier within the afternoon after qualifying, Norris mentioned that he had been impeded and mentioned Leclerc had damaged the “one rule” about slowing within the tunnel.
He mentioned: “He blocked me, easy as that. A penalty for him. I do not know, disqualified or one thing?
“There’s one rule, which is do not decelerate in the midst of the tunnel, and that is what he did, so less than me.”
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