Floyd Vanwall Racing Team #4 already has received the first penalty for the FIA World Endurance Championship race in Bahrain.
Esteban Guerrieri was heading back towards the pit, towards the end of the FP3, but with just over 5 minutes remaining, the Argentinian decided to loosen his seat belts already in Turn 11 – i.e. way way before he had entered the pitlane.
The whole episode was caught on the onboard camera from the car, and was even broadcast live on the YouTube feet. And such a thing, will be noticed by the stewards immediately.
Photo: JJ Media
Guerrieri was instantly called to the stewards, and had to explain his actions. He told them, that he had to do so because he had a muscle cramp in his left leg. However, the door had already been flapping in the win, and he somehow managed to close that one on the in-lap. So if it was one or the other, we never will know.
The reasoning was not accepted by the stewards, since the seat belts have to be tightened all the time, from the car leaving the pit apron, until it’s being parked at the very same place, outside the team’s garage.
So the team has been handed a Drive-through penalty, that they have to serve at the start of the race tomorrow. That will most likely be announced during the first lap of the race, and then the team has three laps to enter the pits – no matter if it’s Esteban Guerrieri starting the car or not.
The qualifying will be run today at 14.15 CET, while the race starts tomorrow at 12.00 CET.
