McLaren has been fined €1,000 (AU$1,643) after a mechanic was forced to retrieve a fan from the rear of Lando Norris’ MCL60 just after the final practice session for the British Grand Prix had started.
Norris had made his way to the end of the pit lane at Silverstone in his MCL60 when he was ordered to stop the car.
That forced a mechanic to rush to retrieve the fan over the exhaust, albeit crossing the pit exit line, which is a breach of the rules when a circuit is live.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown later described the situation as “a mishap”, albeit leading to a stewards’ investigation and the nominal fine for what is a rare incident.
A stewards’ report read: “Car 4 (Norris) was released by the team with a fitting from the garage still attached to the rear of the car, and while the car was still in pit lane, told the driver to stop the car.
“The driver stopped the car at the very first safe location which was at the end of pit lane just past the pit exit line.
“The stewards note that he was prevented from stopping earlier, prior to the pit exit line, because of photographers standing in the working area past the final team location.
“The stewards consider that releasing the car with a sizable part loose on the rear of the car was incorrect.
“However, the prompt action of the team to stop the car in the pit lane mitigated the potentially unsafe condition and the stewards therefore only issue a warning.
” The team sent a mechanic to retrieve the part off the car. In doing so, he crossed the pit exit line and touched the stopped car and technically was on track when he did so.
“Following that, he then stepped to the front of the car and stopped the driver from proceeding until he signaled that it was safe to do so.
“This section of the track at this venue is entirely safe, and so what he did was not unsafe, and indeed he ensured the safety of the other competitors by his actions.
“However, the team did not seek or receive permission from race control to have personnel on the track, nor did the mechanic seek permission of the marshal on scene.
“This has not happened recently in Formula 1, and in issuing a €1,000 fine the stewards have considered in mitigation that the car was prevented from stopping before the line, and that the actions of the mechanic, while a clear breach of the regulations, were deemed safe at all times.”
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