Nico Rosberg has retained pole position for Sunday’s race in Monaco after the stewards decided that his off-track moment during the third and final part of qualifying did not require further action.
The Mercedes driver faced investigation after sliding down the escape road at Turn 5 (Mirabeau) during his final flying lap, bringing out yellow flags that prevented those behind – including team mate Lewis Hamilton – from improving.
Rosberg held provisional pole at the time of the incident, with his first run having produced a lap just five hundredths of a second faster than Hamilton’s.
Rosberg subsequently apologised for his mistake, while Hamilton insisted he had been “on target” to beat the German to pole before being forced to abandon his lap.
However, having reviewed telemetry and video data, the stewards determined that Rosberg had not committed any offence.
“The stewards examined video and telemetry data from the team and FIA and could find no evidence of any offence related to the turn 5 incident,” read a statement from the stewards.
I’m not convinced.
The initial error may have been just that… an error of judgement, at the limit.
However…. to then begin to reverse out onto the track, when you KNOW 100% that you are only guaranteeing a yellow flag.
The only thing that Nico could have gained from reversing onto the track, was a yellow flag for Louis……. and he got it.
Was it legal?………………… apparently so.
But…….. do you have a bad taste at the back of the mouth?