FIA fine F1 team over BIZARRE incident

Williams have been slapped with a €5,000 fine following an unusual and costly error during qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

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A cooling fan was left attached to Alex Albon's car as he headed out for his final flying lap. The incident, which left the British-Thai driver stranded at the pit exit, triggered an investigation by FIA stewards.

Albon had been performing impressively, securing a spot in the top 10. However, Williams’ oversight cost him a crucial final lap in Q3.

READ MORE: FIA DISQUALIFY F1 star at Azerbaijan GP

Williams' best qualifying of 2024 marred by error

As Albon pulled out of the pitlane, he was forced to stop when he realised the bright yellow cooling fan, typically used to regulate the car's temperature in the garage, was still attached to the airbox inlet above his head.

With the team unable to assist, Albon attempted to remove the fan himself while remaining strapped into the cockpit.

After some struggle, he managed to detach the fan and attempted to pass it to a nearby marshal.

When no help came, he dropped the fan on the ground and resumed his lap. However, the delay meant he missed the opportunity to set a faster time, leaving him in 10th place on the grid.

The stewards promptly noted the unsafe release of Albon’s car, though the FIA later determined that Williams’ and Albon’s actions prevented further disruption to the session.

In their official statement, the FIA said, "Throwing parts overboard, requiring a marshal to retrieve them is not normal.

"However, in this case, the actions of the team and driver prevented the qualifying runs of any other driver from being affected."

This "least worst option" approach spared other competitors from yellow flags, but the €5,000 fine was still imposed for the unsafe release.

Williams team principal James Vowles personally apologised to Albon over team radio after the session, acknowledging the team’s error.

“Alex, you drove spectacularly through qualifying. Well done for that. I’m sorry for that incident. We’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Despite the mishap, Albon remained optimistic, reassuring his team: “We’re going to fight tomorrow. Don’t stress. We can get points tomorrow.”

Albon, who had been outqualified for the first time since the 2022 British Grand Prix, maintained his focus on the upcoming race, and secured a season best seventh place ahead of team-mate Franco Colapinto on Sunday.

READ MORE: Hamilton RELEGATED in Azerbaijan after late FIA penalty decision

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