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Alpine Penalties Cost Points as Hirakawa Finishes 10th
Alpine left the event without a point after post-race penalties for Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly promoted Haas newcomer Ryo Hirakawa to 10th, earning his first Formula 1 championship point. Colapinto and Gasly initially crossed the line eighth and 10th respectively, before a separate penalty for Oscar Piastri elevated them to seventh and ninth. That adjustment had put the pair in line to score eight points, but post-race investigations by the stewards altered the finishing order.
Stewards Penalise Colapinto Over Single Yellow Flag
The stewards found that neither driver had slowed sufficiently when passing yellow flags during the race. Colapinto received a 10-second penalty for an infringement under a single yellow flag, along with one penalty point on his superlicence. Telemetry and photographic evidence submitted by Colapinto and Alpine were rejected by the stewards as insufficient to establish that he had reduced his speed as required. However, officials cleared him of a separate suspected breach under double yellow flags because of uncertainty over whether he had received adequate warning.
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Gasly Handed Converted Penalty for Double Yellows
Gasly was given a stop-and-go penalty for failing to slow adequately under double yellow flags, which was converted into a 30-second addition to his race time and two penalty points on his superlicence. Officials reviewed Gasly’s telemetry against that of other drivers and disagreed that he had slowed considerably. Although Alpine contested the findings at the stewards’ hearings, both drivers apologised afterwards. Gasly apologised to the team for the yellow flag infringement, explaining it was his error that stopped them from scoring points. Colapinto also apologised to everyone at the team for what happened under the yellow flag, calling it his mistake in the car while noting it was difficult to understand.
Hirakawa Promoted to 10th on Grand Prix Debut
The penalties promoted Liam Lawson to seventh, Gabriel Bortoleto to eighth and Isack Hadjar to ninth, while Haas newcomer Hirakawa secured 10th and his first Formula 1 championship point. The 32-year-old Japanese reserve driver was drafted in after Haas unexpectedly withdrew Esteban Ocon ahead of final practice on Saturday, leaving Hirakawa with just one practice session and qualifying to prepare for his Formula 1 race debut. Hirakawa, who had driven Ocon’s car in opening practice on Friday, became Formula 1’s oldest debutant since Andre Lotterer raced for Caterham at the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix. Haas has yet to announce who will occupy Ocon’s seat at next weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
