Webber excluded from the qualifying session in Shanghai
Mark Webber was excluded from the qualifying session of the Chinese Grand Prix by FIA stewards. The Australian driver, who had qualified 14th, suffered a fuel shortage and was consequently penalized. He will therefore start from the back of the grid tomorrow for the race.
Mark Webber had to stop at a shelter at the end of the long straight of the Shanghai International Circuit during Q2 due to a fuel shortage. He was comfortably seated in the top 10 before this problem and had dropped to 14th position at the end of Q2, which meant elimination.
But the problem encountered by the Red Bull driver was investigated by the FIA stewards who decided to sanction him, so he will start from last place on the grid tomorrow – unless he chooses to start from the pits to take advantage of changing some of his car’s settings.
The car number two did not return to the pits under its own power and was unable to provide the fuel sample as required. The team admitted that they did not put enough fuel in the car. As defined in the technical delegate’s report, only 150 ml of fuel were on board which was insufficient to provide a one-liter sample and bring the car back to the pits under its own power, the stewards’ statement specifies.
This is not the first time that Red Bull has encountered this problem; the last time, it was Sebastian Vettel who was excluded from the qualifying session, and that was in Abu Dhabi last season.
