Sebastian Vettel has been handed a 3-place grid penalty for impeding Fernando Alonso during qualifying.

Despite the FIA warning that drivers were not to slow in Turns 9 and 10 in order to create a space ahead for the hot laps, as Fernando Alonso completed his final flying lap in Q2 today he encountered Sebastian Vettel who was the last driver in a train of cars.

As the Spaniard approached the last two corners there was still a queue of 3 cars preparing for their final qualifying lap.

Vettel was the last car in this line and impeded Alonso and as a result, the Spaniard had to abort his final qualifying lap and thereby missed the cut.

"We lost the opportunity to be P5 - P6 on the grid and a different race," the Spaniard told Sky Sports. "Now I guess we will not score points tomorrow.

"Whatever penalty they give to the others, this is never enough," he added. "It's the way it is.

"I think it was very badly managed by the people in front. I'm disappointed because I think we had the potential today. It was our best car probably of the season in qualifying and we didn't maximize it.

"It is very confusing, because I think a part of the talk of the rules that they are in place, it has to be common sense," he continued. "It has to be harsh penalties, because it is not right what happened today.

"It is very, very frustrating to lose a lot of points tomorrow. And now we have a race that we can't forget that starting 14th is over. So another weekend, with a little bit of a strange situation for us."

"I only saw him very late," said Vettel. "So not much that I could have done.

"I think it's the fault of the drivers ahead that just keep jumping the queue," he added. "I don't think that is right, and not what we sort of agreed on."

Demoting the German 3 grid places and handing him a penalty point, the stewards have summoned the two drivers who were running ahead of Vettel, Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by VC10-1103, 04/07/2021 7:40

"When I started following F1 in the late 60's the time you set in ANY session could put you on pole. Set a fast time on Friday and it rained on Saturday you were quids in."

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2. Posted by Pavlo, 03/07/2021 22:00

"The cars are really very different from the cars in 80-es, even in 00-es. I remember the time when driver could do several fast laps in a row, but now they have to „charge“ the car.
Problem is, now it makes sense to do extra slow out lap. It is really impossible (without radio) to notice someone racing twice faster and safely give way. But with speed difference 5% it would be quite easy. And almost unnecessary - how many drivers could be within 5 seconds window behind, whom you potentially need to give way?
"

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3. Posted by nnails, 03/07/2021 20:56

"Yep. 1hr session with special qually tyres. I much preferred that. Started slow and got quicker and a spare car if the driver binned it.

The only good thing about the system is its made for high lights"

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4. Posted by BillH, 03/07/2021 20:27

"Why don't the stewards put in a rule that says there is no overtaking in Sector 3 when preparing for a fast lap?

That would sort out the "gentleman's agreement".

@nnails, back in the 80's it was I think the best lap a driver could put together over an hour, rather than the three timed sessions we have now, so the bunching up happened in the last five minutes as it does now but you had 55m to get your lap in, rather than the 15 and lower we have now.

In effect there is two bunch ups happening per session now as most cars take two runs to get a competitive time.

I hope I'm making sense...

I wonder if F1 made it two 8 minute sessions for short tracks if that would improve things a bit for Q3 and Q2? Maybe we'd see more cars out on their own?"

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5. Posted by nnails, 03/07/2021 19:58

"When I first started watch f1 in 1988s they had no GPS. Drivers coped then. Are the cars that much quicker? , mirrors worse , or tyres so rubbish that they have to drive so slow. Why does it happen so much?"

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6. Posted by VC10-1103, 03/07/2021 18:12

"Why hasn't the team been penalised for not warning him? I bet tomorrow the team will be radioing him when he is closing on someone or someone is closing on him."

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