IceG wrote:And Carlos Sainz, the only driver to attempt to improve their time in that last part of qualifying, was completely ignored by the TV director.
I think this qualifying format works and does not need changing over this one pathetic incident. But a few drivers need a penalty. The Hulk is a clear example, he took the safety road in a clear attempt to gain advantage by leaving the track. And Stroll who was driving excessively slowly and causing other drivers a disadvantage. Surely these are slam dunks?
You might think it is a slam dunk penalty, but the stewards have come to a rather different conclusion with regards to Hulkenberg cutting the first chicane - because they have stated "that the regulation refers to ‘deliberately’ leaving the track and in this case we are unable to determine that the driver deliberately left the track."
https://www.racefans.net/2019/09/07/no- ... ualifying/He is still under investigation for driving too slowly though, with Sainz and Stroll also under investigation for that as well.
Meanwhile, it seems that Vettel is also under investigation over whether he went over the track limits at Parabolica, which would result in his times being deleted. Now, if he were to be stripped of his time, I'm wondering if he'd potentially have to start down in 9th, assuming that Kimi will have to take a penalty following his crash.
I believe that, if the drivers have not set a lap time, or even a sector time (which is the next way of ordering them), the drivers are then ordered according to when they left the pit lane to attempt their flying lap. Vettel left the pit lane after Stroll and Albon on their final Q3 laps so, if that fast lap Vettel set was deleted, then, as he'd have no lap times to his name, he would be put behind the other two drivers who also did not set a lap time in that session (Stroll and Albon), having left the pits later than they did.