F1 stewards dismiss Aston Martin protest

SHANGHAI: Formula One stewards dismissed an Aston Martin protest over the results of Saturday’s Chinese Grand Prix qualifying after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was allowed to take part in the final phase despite crashing and stopping on track.

Sainz brought out red flags in the second phase when he ran wide and spun across the track, brushing the tyre wall, at the final corner. But after stopping for a minute and 17 seconds, he returned to the pits for new tyres and front wing and completed qualifying when the track was re-opened.

The Spaniard will start seventh on the grid.

Aston Martin, who had Fernando Alonso qualify third for Sunday’s race but team mate Lance Stroll 11th, had protested an alleged breach of article 39.6 of Formula One’s sporting regulations.

Stroll would have made the top 10 had Sainz not continued.—Reuters