F1 driver penalised after FIA alerted to unusual Italian GP qualifying breach
The FIA is F1's governing body
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has a penalty after the FIA was alerted to an unusual breach after Italian Grand Prix qualifying at Monza.
Galsy qualified a disappointing 19th on Saturday at Monza, with the Frenchman outpaced by Alpine team-mate Franco Colapinto.
Pierre Gasly at risk as FIA alerted to rare Italian GP breach
Jo Bauer, the Formula 1 technical delegate, noted that Alpine failed to cover Gasly’s car two hours after the end of Q3 in Italy, with the offence referred to the stewards.
Bauer wrote: “The BWT Alpine Formula One Team did not cover car number 10 two hours after the chequered of the third qualifying session.
“As this is not in compliance with Article 40.6 of the 2025 Formula One Sporting Regulations, I am referring this matter to the Stewards for their consideration.”
Cars must be covered within two hours of the conclusion of qualifying in order to signify that the team has completed work on that car and is not in breach of parc fermé rules. The FIA will then “seal” the covers in place.
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Alpine confirmed the driver’s penalty on Sunday morning and took the opportunity to fit his A525 with a new power unit.
“Pierre will start today’s Italian Grand Prix from the Pit Lane after the team took his car out from parc fermé conditions,” said the team in a brief statement to PlanetF1.com.
“Car #10 will take a new Power Unit for today’s race.”
Speaking after qualifying, Gasly admitted that he knew Monza would prove a “tricky” race for Alpine, whose Renault power unit is widely regarded as the weakest on the current grid.
He told PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher and other publications at Monza: “To be fair, I think it was still a good effort.
“Looking at yesterday, we were really struggling and we closed the gap to the guys ahead.
“I tried with three sets [of tyres] in Q1. Just a bit of a shame on my last attempt, I didn’t have the cleanest run.
“I had some some guys in Turn 7, all the traffic in Turns 8, 9, 10, so it wasn’t the cleanest attempt.
“But looking at the looking at the gap anyway to Q2, it would have not been enough, so I think that’s just just where we are.
“I’m not gonna lie: waking up this morning, I knew that was it was going to be a tricky one anyways.”
More on Pierre Gasly and Alpine from PlanetF1.com
Asked if he is braced for a difficult race, he added: “Yeah. But I know it since months, so it’s not like I’m surprised and [it’s] something I accept.
“Baku’s going to be tough, Singapore’s going to be tough. I know it’s going to be difficult until the end of the year.
“It doesn’t mean that we’re giving up – we’re still fighting and trying – but just being aware that there’s no need for any frustration to build up, because we’re going to close the book at the end of the year and open a new one.”
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