Alpine slapped with F1 punishment after pit lane mishap

The Alpine F1 team has been issued a fine after an error during qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix.

An incident occurred during the grid-setting session, which saw a component roll into the fast lane when Pierre Gasly's car was released from his garage.

An Alpine representative was called to the stewards, where they explained the situation, however the stewards deemed a €5,000 fine was necessary.

Detailing its verdict, a statement from the stewards read: “The video evidence showed that, as the car was exiting its garage during the qualifying session, a component from the left-front wheel assembly detached and rolled through the fast lane before coming to rest in the inner lane of the pit lane.

“The team representative acknowledged the mistake and apologised for the lapse. He explained that a mechanic had inadvertently failed to correctly secure the component during the preparation of the car, which resulted in the part detaching when the car left the garage.

“He further stated that the team had faced logistical challenges as not all parts had arrived in Melbourne in time, which meant that the team could not fully carry out its usual preparation procedures.

“The stewards acknowledge the logistical challenges faced by the team. However, the responsibility for ensuring that a car is released from the garage in a safe condition rests with the competitor. As a component detached from the left-front wheel assembly when the car exited the garage, the Stewards determined that the car was released in an unsafe condition.

“Having considered previous decisions for comparable infringements during qualifying, the Stewards conclude that a financial penalty is appropriate. Accordingly, the stewards impose a fine of €5,000 on the competitor.