F1 Qatar Grand Prix: Red Bull driver DEMOTED hours before race

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Red Bull, Belgium, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

Qatar Grand Prix

Red Bull F1 driver DEMOTED hours before race at Qatar Grand Prix

One Red Bull star is facing an uphill battle in Qatar

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Saturday 30 November 2024 13:12 Updated: 15:43

A Red Bull F1 star is one of two drivers to have been hit with a late demotion at the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race after changes were made under parc ferme conditions.

Parc ferme, French for 'closed park' is a strictly policed section of F1 where teams and drivers are not allowed to make changes to their cars after a certain point across a race weekend.

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These conditions apply in Qatar, as it is a sprint weekend, from the time a car leaves the pitlane in SQ1.

Sergio Perez qualified P16 for the sprint race

There have been however, two teams and drivers that have fallen foul of this rule and made late changes ahead of the sprint race.

Red Bull misery continues at Qatar GP

Red Bull star Sergio Perez and Williams driver Franco Colapinto are now both required to start from the pitlane during the Qatar sprint race after a report from the technical delegate, Jo Bauer.

Sergio Perez (L) and Franco Colapinto (R)

An official FIA document stated: "Changes to the set up of the suspension have been made on car numbers 11 and 43.

"Therefore these cars should now be required to start the sprint from the pitlane according to Article 40.9 b) of the 2024 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.

"I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration."

The stewards subsequently agreed that there had been a breach, with both Perez and Colapinto now facing an uphill battle to make it into the top eight in order to score points in the race.

Checo endured a miserable SQ1 after he failed to make it out after the bottom five, due to start in P16 before the parc ferme changes.

Colapinto meanwhile was already starting down in P20 for the race, so will hope the adjustments can help make the Williams more competitive.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes Qatar Grand Prix