Stewards confirm Sergio Perez will race in Australian Grand Prix after Q1 crash

Sergio Perez

1 reactie

Stewards confirm Perez will race in Australian Grand Prix after Q1 crash

The Red Bull driver broke a key FIA qualifying rule after crashing early and needed dispensation to race

Lauren Sneath

Saturday 1 April 2023 12:05

Stewards had to manually approve Sergio Perez as a race contestant for the Australian Grand Prix after he failed to set a qualifying time – and they have now done so, as was expected.

The Red Bull driver lost control of his car in his first attempt at a flying lap, beaching it in the gravel and causing the session to be red-flagged.

After his early elimination, Red Bull had to apply to the FIA for special dispensation to allow the Mexican driver to race, because he had broken the FIA’s '107 per cent rule'.

But what is the rule, and how did it almost derail Checo’s weekend?

How did Perez break the 107 per cent rule?

Article continues under video

Due to his early crash, Perez was eliminated from Q1 without setting a time within 107 per cent of the fastest time set by the pole-sitter – in this case, his team-mate Max Verstappen. This triggered the 107 per cent rule, which denies a car eliminated from Q1 without setting a time within 107 per cent of the fastest driver's time access to a race.

The incident required stewards to make a decision as to whether he would be allowed to compete tomorrow.

Soon after the session, the FIA released a statement confirming that "the stewards have received a request from Oracle Red Bull Racing to allow car 11 to start the race despite failing to set a qualifying time within 107 per cent of the fastest time set in Q1" at Albert Park.

The statement continued: "In accordance with article 39.3 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, the stewards grant permission for car 11, Sergio Perez, to start the race, as the driver has set satisfactory times in practice at this event."

Has the 107 per cent rule been broken before?

Logan Sargeant broke the same rule in Saudi Arabia. The rookie Williams driver did not set a fast enough time in Q1 to qualify for the race after one of his faster laps was penalised and deleted by the FIA. The organisation said Sargeant "crossed the painted area between the Pit Entry and the track" in Jeddah.

Race stewards permitted Sargeant to race on Sunday, again citing his "satisfactory times in practice" as their reasoning for allowing him onto the grid.