Extreme track limits! Three time penalties within 15 minutes for Lance Stroll

There was certainly plenty to discuss and take stock of following the chaotic British Grand Prix at Silverstone. After the race, there was speculation about a possible penalty for third-placed Lewis Hamilton (he was merely given a warning). A major talking point was the safety car procedure following Max Verstappen’s crash, and the race concluding under a no-overtaking rule. Then , in the aftermath , Carlos Sainz was handed a one-lap penalty for lapping himself, even though he shouldn’t have been allowed to do so due to an unfortunate timing error. Meanwhile, Ferrari fans were naturally celebrating Charles Leclerc’s victory, whilst Mercedes fans were either cheering for George Russell or sympathising with Kimi Antonelli. And Max Verstappen’s supporters were shocked by his crash.

Three 5-second penalties within 15 minutes

Amidst all the chaos, one detail almost went unnoticed: one driver received three identical penalties in the closing stages of the race – all for crossing the track limits. That driver was Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin.

The official FIA documents numbered 78, 79 and 81 (80 was the race scrutineering) were issued between 18:51 and 18:56 local time. They document Stroll’s infringements on lap 33 (turn 18), lap 35 (turn 9) and lap 42 (turn 15). On each occasion, Stroll was penalised with a five-second penalty for leaving the track for no apparent reason. The infringements took place between 15:58 and 16:13 local time. This means that within ten laps (counting the first and last laps in which he committed an infringement) and 15 minutes, Stroll incurred a total of 15 penalty seconds. What was going on?

Severe understeer in the Aston Martin

The Canadian had enormous problems with his car, stating after the race: “We had a lot of understeer during the race and a very unpredictable car, so it’s difficult to stay within the track limits. I always try to give it my all and hope things will improve soon.” Even before the first penalty, Stroll had used up his quota of permitted track limit infringements.

Still, the long-awaited upgrades are due to arrive soon, which should help alleviate the Aston Martin’s major problems this season. Stroll: “We have the necessary information and know where we need to improve. So these race weekends are simply about being patient and waiting for the upcoming upgrades.” As in the other races so far this season, Stroll was well down the field anyway and a long way from the points – so the time penalties had no sporting significance.

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