F1 chaos as FOUR drivers set to start in pitlane at Canadian Grand Prix

Photo: © IMAGO

Canadian Grand Prix

F1 chaos as FOUR drivers set to start in pitlane at Canadian Grand Prix

Four drivers will start the sprint from the pitlane

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 23 May 2026 17:26

The FIA have confirmed that four F1 stars will start from the pitlane for the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix sprint race.

Two drivers failed to even take part in sprint qualifying on Friday in Montreal, with Liam Lawson and Alex Albon both crashing out in FP1, which meant their cars were too damaged to partake in the shootout for sprint pole.

The Williams star has received a further blow, however, and ahead of Saturday's sprint the FIA announced that Albon will start from the pitlane.

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Changes were made to Albon's car without the approval of the technical delegate, a breach of Article B3.5.3, and his car was not covered two hours after the chequered flag of SQ3, a breach of Article B3.4.2 a).

For these reasons, Albon has been told he must start the sprint from the pitlane, where he will also be joined by Pierre Gasly, Ollie Bearman and Valtteri Bottas.

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Albon, Gasly, Bearman and Bottas make pit lane starts

Alongside Albon, Alpine also made changes to Gasly's car without the approval of the technical delegate and his car was not covered two hours after the chequered flag for SQ3. Gasly drops from P19.

Haas made changes to Bearman's car without the approval of the technical delegate, resulting in a pitlane start for the Brit after qualifying P15.

Changes were also made to Bottas' car without approval, which means a pitlane start for the Cadillac star, who placed plum last during sprint qualifying.

Despite not taking part in sprint qualifying, Lawson will start the sprint race P18 - which is still last on the grid, whichever way you look at it.

F1 FIA Canadian Grand Prix Valtteri Bottas Alex Albon Pierre Gasly