The penalties for exceeding track limits at the British Grand Prix, which cost Lewis Hamilton his first run at pole position, will also be strictly enforced during Sunday’s race at Silverstone. The potential sanctions to be decided by the stewards will apply to drivers who transgress the “zero tolerance” approach the FIA have applied to turns eight, 15 and 18.
Jenson Button, Hamilton’s former team-mate at McLaren, has also clarified that the decision was agreed between the drivers and the race director Charlie Whiting, in a meeting before qualifying.
Hamilton first flying lap in Q3 was one of several disqualified by the stewards after he put his car wide at Copse, on a lap in which he was three-tenths faster than his team-mate Nico Rosberg. He managed to turn the potential pole into the real thing however on his final quick run. “I ran a bit wide on my first Q3 lap and had that time taken away,” he said. “I just touched the kerb and it really pulled me out there. I didn’t even feel like I was going to be running wide until the car bottomed out and I just bounced outside the line.”
The strong line on track limits will be continued during the race on Sunday. Any driver adjudged to have “gained a clear and lasting advantage by leaving the track” will be reported to the stewards, as will drivers who repeatedly leave the track. The zero tolerance approach will apply to Copse, Stowe and the final corner, the exit of Club.
“We discussed it in the drivers briefing,” said Button. “We all agreed that it was the best way to move forward. The drivers and Charlie agreed that it’s best on those three corners that if we’re outside the track limits, all four wheels over the white line, our lap no longer counts. We all knew that. They are the places where we thought people would gain time.”
Button is also hopeful he can turn a disappointing qualifying into a comeback in the race that will keep his highly supportive home crowd happy. The British driver qualified in 17th after a problem with the rear wing meant he could only finish three laps in the first session.
He will doubtless do his best to put on a good show for the fans but he will not breaking his Formula One jinx at Silverstone. He has raced here 16 times and has yet to make the podium, with fourth in 2004, 2010 and 2014, his best results. Although the McLaren is improving and the upgrades Honda have brought to the power unit here are giving cause for optimism “there is a lot more pace in the car,” he said the best realistic target is to finish in the points.
“I’m really disappointed with qualifying, but not too disheartened.” Button said after qualifying. “I am happy and I am going to have a good race tomorrow. I am going to have a lot fun tomorrow.”
During his run in Q1 the rear wing detached from the floor of the car, coming out of Woodcote, causing a severe loss of downforce. He returned to the pits but the team was unable to fix the problem in time for him to attempt another quick lap.
The belief that Renault’s Kevin Magnussen, who was one place ahead of the British driver at that point, had gone outside track limits caused McLaren to call Button back to his car in the minutes before Q2 but the second session had already started before Magnussen’s time could be deleted, making it too late to reinstate Button.
“I’ll do my best in front of the home crowd, when I got out and ran back to the car thinking we could go out in Q2 there was a massive roar from the crowd,” he said. “I think it was my running skill more than my driving skills at that point but it was a really nice moment.”
The issue of track limits also affected Button’s McLaren’s team-mate Fernando Alonso, who is ninth on the grid but who set a time that was fast enough for eighth that was ruled out due to going beyond the white lines at Stowe. Wet weather is forecast for Sunday and both the McLaren drivers will be hoping for a rain-interrupted race to boost their chances of moving up the order. “I’ll be hoping for rain and something unexpected to happen in the race, and I’m still aiming for points tomorrow,” concluded Button.
