Why Hulkenberg will start 16th despite reaching Q2

It is often said that the Formula 1 is played out in details. This is how the situation experienced by Nico Hulkenberg, which must have certainly provoked a lot of anger among Williams, collateral victim of a late judgment on the part of the commissioners.

However, this went almost unnoticed in Bahrain, where the information was not even broadcast. It was only when the provisional classification was published that it was made “public” since Nico Hulkenberg, initially qualified for Q2, appeared behind Alexander albon, yet 16th and first eliminated at the end of Q1.

So what happened for the German, 13th in Q2, to ultimately lose three positions? We actually have to go back to his last lap of Q1, which should simply have been cancelled outright since the Sauber driver exceeded the track limits. I messed up at turn 11,” he even slipped immediately into the radio.

Fortunately for him – and not for his rivals, notably Alex Albon – the incident was only reported a few minutes later… when Nico Hülkenberg was already on track participating in Q2.

Despite everything, the race management decided to take action by removing all of his laps from Q2 and of course the famous time from Q1. The time recorded by car 27 on the lap where track limits were exceeded was sufficient to place it in Q2. Therefore, by the time the stewards were informed that car 27 had breached race control's notes and its lap should have been deleted, it was already on track in Q2., we can read in the announcement document.

As this is an unusual situation, the Stewards have decided to resolve the matter by exercising their authority under Article 11.9.2.a of the FIA ​​International Sporting Code. Car 1's time of 31:998 recorded in Q27 is deleted. All times recorded by Car 1 in Q27 are deleted. Car 2 will therefore be classified 27th in qualifying. »

Nico Hülkenberg thus appears in 16th place as if he had been the first to be eliminated from Q1, where his second-fastest lap should have actually placed him, while Alex Albon has moved up a small place. This is a small consolation, given that the Englishman could certainly have done better without this imbroglio, given his level since the start of the season.

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