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Several FIA Formula 2 drivers have been handed three-place grid penalties following Friday’s Qualifying session at Monza, with the sanctions applying to both the Sprint and Feature Race.
Gabriele Minì was penalised for impeding AIX Racing’s Cian Shields between Turns 9 and 11. After hearing from both drivers and their team representatives, the Stewards ruled that Minì had unnecessarily impeded Shields, in breach of Article 31.6 of the FIA Formula 2 Sporting Regulations.
Mari Boya was also given a three-place penalty after being found to have driven unnecessarily slowly. The Stewards determined that the PREMA Racing driver had slowed significantly on the exit of Turn 10 while warming the tyres, dropping to an excessively low speed without a valid sporting or safety justification.
According to the decision, Boya’s actions contributed to a queue of cars travelling at very low speed and led to incidents involving multiple cars approaching Turn 11. The penalty will apply in both Monza races. The latest decisions add further intrigue to a weekend already shaped by a closely watched Formula 2 Monza title fight.
DAMS Lucas Oil’s Dino Beganovic, Campos Racing’s Noel León, PREMA Racing’s Sebastián Montoya and ART Grand Prix’s Kush Maini were each handed three-place grid penalties for their involvement in the incident on the approach to Turn 11 late in Qualifying.
After reviewing the available data and speaking to all four drivers and their representatives, the Stewards found that they had failed to follow the Race Director Competition Notes, Item 18, covering Practice and Qualifying etiquette.
The notes require drivers not on a fast lap to make every effort to stay off the racing line and prohibit cars from remaining side-by-side during Practice or Qualifying. The Stewards found that the four drivers were on preparation laps, travelling slowly in the middle of the track between Turns 10 and 11, while remaining side-by-side with another car that was not on the racing line.
Beganovic, León, Montoya and Maini will therefore each serve their three-place penalties in both Monza races.
Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov completed the list of penalties. He was given a three-place grid penalty for weaving erratically close to Montoya’s Car 11.
The Stewards concluded, after reviewing video evidence and hearing from both drivers and a team representative, that Tsolov had been warming his tyres erratically on the racing line while travelling below racing speed. Montoya was forced to take avoiding action and leave the track, prompting the penalty for both races.
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