Mercedes avoids penalty for set-up sheet error before F1 Las Vegas GP qualifying

Mercedes has avoided the wrath of the stewards after failing to produce its setup sheets for both cars prior to qualifying for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The German marque had been placed under investigation two times over for submitting both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s setup sheets in the required timeframe.

This breached Article 40.1 of the Sporting Regulations, placing the Brackley-based squad under threat of penalisation.

But after evidence was produced and deliberated by race control, it was determined that technical errors were at fault for the delay, leaving the FIA to decide that it would take no further action.

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Per its official decision document, the FIA said: “Although the FIA did not receive the setup sheet electronically in the specified time, the team was able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Stewards, with copies of the relevant emails, that the sheet had been emailed to the appropriate FIA department but due to some IT security issue it was not received in the specified time.”

It enables the team to remain within a chance of success in Saturday night’s race after a rain-sodden qualifying session at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit.

Russell, who won the race last year, lines up in fourth place, but Antonelli will have a bigger struggle on his hands, the Italian rookie starting 17th after failing to make it out of Q1 in the tricky wet conditions.

READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton rues ‘horrible’ F1 Las Vegas qualifying oblivion amid torrential rainfall