In a dramatic twist at Formula 1’s 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu found himself in hot water after impeding Max Verstappen during the first qualifying session.
As the final third of the Q1 session was winding down, Verstappen was on a flying lap, pushing through Blanchimont, when he unexpectedly encountered Zhou, who was moving slowly on the racing line. This forced Verstappen to lift off the throttle momentarily, causing visible frustration as he gestured at Zhou and exclaimed, “Hello? What the f*ck?”
Despite this hiccup, Verstappen managed to top the qualifying charts, while Zhou finished last in Q1. An investigation by the Spa stewards followed, leading to Zhou receiving a three-place grid drop. The stewards concluded that Sauber had informed Zhou about Verstappen being behind him, but the information provided wasn’t accurate enough. They emphasized that “it is the responsibility of the driver to not unnecessarily impede other drivers”.
The stewards’ document stated, “Car 24 did unnecessarily impede Car 1 and therefore the standard penalty is applied”. They further explained that Zhou had stayed on the racing line through Turn 17 without maintaining full racing speed as Verstappen was closing in, forcing Verstappen to lift the throttle briefly.
Zhou’s team radio revealed that he was aware Verstappen was behind but believed the Red Bull driver was on a slower lap. Therefore, Zhou continued discussing potential setup changes with his engineer, unaware of the approaching Verstappen. Meanwhile, Verstappen will start from 11th due to his own penalty for taking a new internal combustion engine element beyond the permitted allocation.
Despite Zhou’s penalty, he will still line up 19th, one spot ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, who is starting last due to an engine-related penalty. Interestingly, this incident hasn’t cost Zhou any penalty points on his superlicence.
This incident highlights the high-stakes and fast-paced nature of Formula 1, where miscommunication can lead to significant consequences on the track. As the Belgian Grand Prix unfolds, all eyes will be on how these penalties impact the race.
