P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Aston Martin’s protest against the results of qualifying for Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix has been dismissed. The squad issued
The squad issued a protest following Carlos Sainz’s crash in Q2 but continued to Q3; according to Article 39.6 of Formula 1’s Sporting Regulations, a car that stops on track during qualifying should not partake further in the session. Despite Sainz’s stoppage, Race Control allowed him to continue, leading to a protest from Aston Martin which was ultimately dismissed by the stewards. The stewards explained that past practices have allowed cars to restart within a reasonable time without outside assistance, contrary to the strict interpretation of the rule. Without clear guidance on time limits, the stewards decided to leave the discretion to Race Control, pointing out past instances where similar allowances were made. The stewards also dismissed the argument that the messaging system’s wording was conclusive evidence of a car stopping, emphasizing the importance of past practices in making such decisions.
