Deledda permitted to start Monaco F2 races despite 107% rule breach
The FIA stewards have granted permission for Alessio Deledda to race in this weekend’s Formula 2 round in Monaco despite being outside of the 107% rule in qualifying.
The HWA Racelab driver failed to post a time within 107% of the fastest time set in the Qualifying Group B session.
Deledda’s best time of 1m27.744s was set in the second of two 16 minute qualifying sessions held at Monaco, in which the F2 field is split into two groups of 11 cars, to avoid drivers struggling with traffic on the tight Monaco circuit.
The F2 rookie’s time was 6.341s adrift of the 1m21.403s posted by Prema Racing’s Robert Shwartzman in the same session.
Polesitter Theo Pourchaire went even faster than Shwartzman in the previous qualifying group having posted a 1m20.985s effort.
FIA regulations state that a driver is not permitted to race if they fail to qualify within 107 percent of the fastest time unless given permission due to exceptional circumstances.
However, a stewards report has since confirmed that Deledda will in fact be allowed to race over the weekend after the team discussed the infringement with officials. Autosport understands Deledda's previous qualifying performances were taken into consideration.
“Permission given by the Stewards to start Race 1 and Race 3 at the back of the grid after any other penalties have been applied,” read the stewards report.
Alessio Deledda, HWA Racelab
Photo by: Dutch Photo Agency
“The Stewards summoned and heard the Team Manager (document 19) in respect of the request for the start permission for Car 23. Car 23 is given permission to start Race 1 and Race 3.
“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Article 10.1.1 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”
The decision ensures 22 cars will take part in this weekend’s three races.
UNI Virtuosi’s Guanyu Zhou will start Friday’s sprint race from pole position following the reversal of the top 10 in qualifying as per F2’s new-for-2021 three race weekend format.
Pourchaire, who became the youngest ever polesitter in GP2 and F2 history, will start Saturday afternoon’s feature race from pole.
Related video
Previous article
Pourchaire “disconnected brain” in Monaco F2 qualifying
Next article
Alpine Academy F2 drivers unfazed by Ocon contract talks
How Red Bull's next F1 hopeful turned around his season
Having impressed in Formula 3, Juri Vips looked to be next cab off the rank in Red Bull's prestigious Junior Team before his 2020 schedule was dealt a heavy blow by the COVID-19 pandemic. After a tough start to life in Formula 2, Vips is showing signs of a recovery - could he be the first Estonian to reach Formula 1?
The making of an F1 hopeful re-writing the F2 record books
He'd marked himself out as a star of the future in last year's FIA Formula 3 championship, but 17-year-old Theo Pourchaire underlined his credentials by winning his first Formula 2 race in the Monaco feature. Sauber junior status gives him a clear route to the top, but with wisdom beyond his years, he's not getting caught up in his own hype
The 10 greatest F2 races contested by F1 drivers
Formula 2 used to be about more than providing a stepping stone to F1. For three decades it often provided another setting for the world’s best to fight it out. Autosport picks out the very best races
The F1 hopeful living two lives to keep his dream alive
Having lost his backing from Red Bull, Richard Verschoor has had to graft to continue his ascent up the single-seater ladder. An impressive Formula 2 debut in Bahrain, despite the lateness of his deal, shows his unorthodox approach is paying dividends
Was Formula 2’s radical format switch a success?
Going into the 2021 Formula 2 season the biggest talking point wasn’t about any drivers or teams, but the new race weekend format. Created partly out of financial necessity but also to spice up the action, the Bahrain opener provided a snapshot of the positives and negatives to come
Why 2021 is make-or-break for the driver F1 needs
He was tipped for glory in FIA Formula 2 last year, but was hampered by reliability woes at inopportune moments. Guanyu Zhou knows he won't get too many more chances if he is to become China's first F1 driver, with fierce competition within the ranks of Alpine's junior stable
How Schumacher Jr earned his Haas F1 chance
Michael Schumacher may have won seven Formula 1 titles, but he didn't even compete for a crown at the second tier. Son Mick put that right in 2020, and proved to Ferrari that he was deserving of a shot at motorsport's elite category in 2021
The quintet giving Ferrari a tough decision to make
The Ferrari Driver Academy earned a podium sweep in the first Formula 2 race of the new decade in Austria last weekend. The battle between 'the FDA five' is set to be one of the major subplots of the season, but who has the best F1 prospects for 2021?
