Nico Hulkenberg disqualified from Brazilian Grand Prix after black flag infringement
Nico Hulkenberg has been disqualified from the Brazilian Grand Prix for receiving outside help to rejoin the race.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg has been disqualified from the Brazilian Grand Prix after crashing and receiving assistance from the marshals to rejoin the race.
Drivers are not allowed to receive outside help to get their cars back on the track; because marshals pushed Hulkenberg back into action, he has received a black flag and therefore a disqualification.
Nico Hulkenberg disqualified from Brazilian Grand Prix
Nico Hulkenberg has been black flagged — and therefore disqualified — from the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Disqualifications via black flag in Formula 1 are rare in modern times, as teams and drivers often have a “right of reply” regarding the decision to disqualify said driver.
This is said to be the first black flag since 2007, during the Canadian Grand Prix, when Giancarlo Fisichella and a Felipe Massa both exited the pits when the light was red.
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Wet conditions saw Hulkenberg lose control of his No. 27 Haas on Lap 27, sliding off into the run-off area at Turn 1.
A brief Virtual Safety Car soon followed, during which time Hulkenberg was able to drive away.
Unfortunately for the Haas driver, he was able to rejoin the track only because four marshals pushed his car backwards.
The car’s wheels had left the tarmac, and the marshals seemingly assisted Hulkenberg in order to get him going again — perhaps not knowing that doing so would result in the black-flagging of the driver.
Hulkenberg’s DSQ is only one small element of a chaotic race. Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, George Russell, and Yuki Tsunoda will all be investigated after the Brazilian Grand Prix for a breach of start procedure, while both Mercedes drivers have been referred to the stewards for unapproved tyre pressure changes during the period of the race where the start had been aborted.
Read next: Multiple drivers under FIA investigation for rules breach after Stroll incident confusion
