Sergio Perez looks likely to start the Qatar Grand Prix from the pit lane following an overnight chassis change by Red Bull.
Perez was involved in a multi-car incident during Saturday’s Sprint Race causing what the Mexican described as “massive, massive damage” to his RB19.
The Red Bull driver found himself with the momentum to attempt a pass on Nico Hulkenberg around the outside of Turn 2. Simultaneously, Esteban Ocon lined up a lunge on the inside of the Haas. Ocon and Hulkenberg collided, causing the Alpine to spin and collect Perez.
All three drivers involved retired from the Sprint as a result of the contact.
Red Bull have changed Perez’s chassis overnight after finding that the damage sustained was unrepairable.
However, Red Bull representatives had been summoned by the Stewards earlier today after having been deemed to have built a third car.
“Last night the Oracle Red Bull Racing team worked on car number 11, chassis 02, two hours after chequered flag of the Sprint,” F1 technical delegate Jo Bauer stated in his report of the event.
“Chassis 01 got damaged beyond repair during the accident in the Sprint. Chassis 01 and all other components fitted to it at the time of the Sprint were covered on time at 23:08, two hours after chequered flag was shown at the end of the sprint.
“As chassis 02 was assembled without supervision to more than an assembly comprising a survival cell as defined in SR Article 27.2, this has to be considered as a third car available to the competitor.
“A self-declared scrutineering sheet for car 11, chassis 02, was submitted at 14:05 today, 55 minutes before the covers-off time.
“As this is not in compliance with SR Articles 27.2 , 40.3 and 40.6 as well as TD021 G, I am referring this matter to the Stewards for their consideration.”
Perez was set to start the Qatar Grand Prix from 13th, but he could face a further hefty penalty after a precedent set in Suzuka.
Logan Sargeant was forced to start the Japanese Grand Prix from the pit lane as a consequence of a sizeable impact in qualifying.
Williams also turned to a spare chassis, breaching the FIA’s two-hour seal rule. The team then fitted parts of different specification to those used in qualifying.
As he was already set to start the Japanese Grand Prix from the pitlane, a further 10-second time penalty was handed to the American
Red Bull has since fitted a completely new power unit in Perez’s car. The majority of components were changed without the approval of the technical delegates. Typically, this would result in a pit lane start.
As Perez is already facing a pit lane start for effectively running a third car, this second penalty will likely come in the form of a 10-second time penalty after the precedent set in Japan.
