FIA announce late demotion for F1 star at Chinese Grand Prix
The FIA has confirmed that Nico Hulkenberg will be starting the sprint race from the pit lane after his team, Sauber, made late suspension changes to his car under parc ferme conditions. The decision was made after Jo Bauer, the technical delegate for the sport’s governing body, noted that the changes had been made to the set-up of the suspension.
Parc ferme conditions, which literally means ‘closed park’ in French, is a designated time when cars can no longer be modified beyond certain parameters during a race weekend. As Shanghai is a sprint race, with only one practice session taking place prior to sprint qualification, parc ferme conditions kicked in sooner than usual.
As a result, Sauber knew that making late suspension changes to Hulkenberg’s car would incur a pit-lane start for the German driver. However, it could prove to be a prudent decision from the team, given that Hulkenberg was due to start the sprint race down in P19.
Starting from the pit lane may not be as detrimental as it seems, as Hulkenberg would have only promoted Liam Lawson ahead of him. Sauber will be hoping that they can claw back the difference from a performance standpoint over the entire race weekend.
The sprint race offers a unique challenge, with only 100km of racing and no mandatory pit stops required. Drivers will often select a tyre that can comfortably go the distance without too much managing. The points system for the sprint race has been altered in recent years, with the victor now scoring eight points, down to one point for eighth place.
In this context, starting from the pit lane may not be as disastrous as it seems, especially considering that Hulkenberg would have struggled to score points from his original starting position. Sauber will be hoping that their decision pays off, and they can make up ground over the course of the weekend.
The FIA’s ruling has confirmed that Hulkenberg will start from the pit lane, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the sprint race. Despite the setback, Sauber will be optimistic about their chances, and they will be looking to make the most of their opportunities over the course of the weekend.
