Pierre Gasly to start from back of grid following aborted PU change

AlphaTauri

Gasly to start from back of grid following aborted PU change

Team had asked to change PU elements but changed plans

Ian Parkes

Sunday 15 November 2020 10:42

Pierre Gasly will start the Turkish Grand Prix from the back of the grid following an aborted power unit change by Alpha Tauri.

Post-qualifying, Alpha Tauri submitted a written request to change all the elements of the Honda power unit on Gasly's car.

The FIA noted that "the team started to take the car apart and the car was on high stands overnight due to the work already carried out [gearbox removed, ICE removed, radiators removed etc].

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"This morning the team has withdrawn the request which allows an assumption that the change was requested for strategic reasons and not for physical ones.

"More importantly, the car was already disassembled to a stage where it is impossible for the scrutineers, and the other supervision means in place, to guarantee that no modification to the car has been carried [out] to any component by disassembling and refitting the original items."

The aborted change led to an investigation by the stewards who have determined there to still be a breach of the sporting regulations.

A stewards report stated: "After qualifying the team, based on a request from their engine supplier, asked to change all PU elements in car 10 during pre-race parc ferme. Permission was granted by the F1 technical delegate.

"Such a change comes with a requirement to start the car from the back of the grid.

"The team then carried out work in disassembling the car under parc fermé conditions. During that work the team ultimately decided not to change the PU and ultimately reassembled the car with the original PU.

"Per the report of the Technical Delegate the car was disassembled to a stage where it is impossible for the scrutineers and other supervision means in place to guarantee that no modification to the car has been carried out to any component by disassembling and refitting the original items.

"This is normally not an issue because of the mandated penalty for such a change.

"The stewards determine that the specified penalty for the authorised work in parc fermé is in effect from the time the change was started, notwithstanding whether or not the PU change was ultimately completed."

Gasly had been due to start 13th. All those originally behind him will now shuffle up one place, although Williams has elected to start both George Russell and Nicholas Latifi from the pitlane.

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