HWA Racelab’s Alessio Deledda has been given clearance to start this weekend’s FIA Formula 2 races in Monaco despite failing to set a time inside 107 per cent.
Deledda was not classified in qualifying due to completing a time 6.341s slower than Robert Shwartzman’s time of 1:21.403 in Group B, with Formula 2 splitting the drivers in Monaco because of concerns over traffic.
Theo Pourchaire was fastest overall after setting a lap of 1:20.985 in Group A.
Article 34.2 of the FIA Formula 2 Sporting Regulations states: ‘Any driver whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107% of the fastest qualifying time (in Monaco the fastest qualifying time of its group), or who fails to set a time, will not be allowed to take part in the race.
‘Under exceptional circumstances, however, which may include setting a suitable lap time in a previous free practice session, the stewards may permit the car to start the race.’
Deledda had been 7.314s slower than Shwartzman during practice earlier on Thursday.
HWA Racelab requested approval for Deledda to start this weekend’s races and that was duly given the green light by stewards.
He may start Races 1 and 3 from the back of the grid, with the line-up for Race 2 to be determined by the finishing order of Race 1.
The 107 per cent rule was originally brought into Formula 1 in 1996 and has since been used in other racing series, including junior categories, in order to prevent excessively slow drivers or cars from participating.
The last time it was used in this series was in 2009, when it was called GP2, when Franck Perera was deemed at fault for a collision involving Romain Grosjean in qualifying and not given permission to start.
The first of three races in Monaco is set to get underway on Friday at 11:45am CET.
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