Lance Stroll and Charles Leclerc keep away from penalties after dramatic FP3 at Spanish GP

Sparks had been flying Saturday on the Components 1 Spanish Grand Prix.

Not throughout qualifying — that has but to happen — however to paraphrase the legendary Allen Iverson, we’re speaking about follow.

The ultimate free follow session forward of qualifying on the Spanish Grand Prix noticed tempers flare in two separate incidents, one involving Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton and the opposite involving Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. All 4 drivers had been summoned to fulfill with race stewards following the session, and following these conferences race officers determined to indicate some leniency, relatively than hand down grid penalties.

Let’s dive into each incidents, and the selections from the stewards.

Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll

Let’s first discuss concerning the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll. That incident occurred through the session, close to the apex of Flip 5. As you will notice right here, Hamilton is working slowly alongside the fitting aspect of the observe when Stroll comes up behind him. You will notice the seven-time Drivers’ Champion wave his hand in the direction of Stroll and concede over the radio to his workforce that he didn’t see the Aston Martin driver, however then Stroll appears to be like to show into Hamilton’s W15 in what the commentators on F1TV termed as maybe a “ … little bit of a sidepod rebuke:”

Each drivers had been summoned to fulfill with race officers at 2:00 p.m. native time. Shortly after the listening to, the race officers launched their resolution, which was a reprimand for Stroll.

As you may see from the stewards’ report, through the listening to Stroll admitted that “ … he wished to precise his displeasure to the opposite driver by pulling over on him on the exit.” Nonetheless, the listening to discovered that the contact between the 2 was “incidental,” and whereas the transfer by Stroll was discovered to be “erratic” race stewards didn’t imagine it to be “harmful,” and due to this fact thought a reprimand was extra in keeping with earlier selections.

Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc

The incident between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc got here later within the session. The Ferrari driver was on a push lap on the very finish of FP3 and stumbled on Norris close to Flip 5. The McLaren driver was transferring at a a lot slower tempo and on the left aspect of the observe, off the racing line.

Leclerc was pissed off when he got here throughout Norris, and let the McLaren driver understand it:

Following the session, each Norris and Leclerc had been summoned to fulfill with race stewards at 2:15 p.m. native time. Within the moments forward of qualifying, the stewards launched their resolution, which was proper in keeping with the choice handed down concerning the Stroll-Hamilton incident: A reprimand for Leclerc.

Just like the Stroll incident, Leclerc indicated that he felt he was impeded by Norris and that it “ … upset him.” Leclerc then admitted that he aborted his push lap, however then said that he “misjudged the place of his automotive” and made contact with Norris because of this.

Race officers, as they did with Stroll, discovered the driving “erratic” however not “harmful,” and decided {that a} reprimand was in keeping with earlier selections.

Nonetheless, some puzzled if these selections had been the fitting strategy. Talking on F1TV forward of qualifying David Coulthard said that each Stroll and Leclerc might in all probability think about themselves “extremely fortunate to get away with only a reprimand.”

Keep in mind, this was simply follow.

Qualifying begins in minutes.