F1 News: Zhou Guanyu Slapped With Grid Penalty For Belgian GP

Zhou Guanyu has been given a 3-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix after he impeded Max Verstappen.

Nov 18, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake driver Zhou Guanyu of China (24) during the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Zhou Guanyu has been issued a three-place grid penalty for impeding rival Max Verstappen during a qualifying session, however, he will still start the race from nineteenth as Yuki Tsunoda has taken an extensive grid penalty for multiple new power unit components.

The infraction occurred during Q1, as Guanyu took Turn 17, unknowingly holding the racing line at a reduced speed. This action forced Verstappen, in pursuit of a fast lap, to momentarily lift off the throttle, avoiding what could have been a more detrimental collision.

The official letter from the FIA states:

"The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 24 (Zhou Guanyu), the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence.

"Car 24 stayed on the racing line through Turn 17 when Car 1 was closing in despite not going at full racing speed. Car 1 had to lift the throttle for a brief moment before passing Car 24.

"The Stewards acknowledge that team informed the driver about Car 1 being behind him, but the information given was not accurate enough. However, it is the responsibility of the driver to not unnecessarily impede other drivers. The Stewards determine that Car 24 did unnecessarily impede Car 1 and therefore the standard penalty is applied."

Despite this setback, the ordeal seemingly had minimal effect on Verstappen's initial qualifying success, as the Dutch driver secured pole position by a significant margin. Nevertheless, he, too, will face his own challenges come race day due to a separate penalty for an engine change, positioning him to start from eleventh place.