P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sergio Perez has been handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix. The incident occurred early in Q1, with the stewards opting to inves…
Sergio Perez received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg during qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix. The incident occurred in Q1, where Hulkenberg had to avoid Perez in the final sector, causing him to lose time and be eliminated from qualifying. Perez, who originally qualified third, will now start from sixth due to the penalty. The stewards’ decision highlighted that Hulkenberg had to deviate from the racing line to avoid Perez, leading to an early throttle lift and brake application. Despite understanding the challenging circumstances during Q1, the stewards concluded that Perez “unnecessarily impeded” Hulkenberg, resulting in the grid penalty. As a result, Lando Norris moves up to third on the grid, while Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri fill out the second row for Sunday’s race at Albert Park.
