F1 Race Director Confirms Pit Lane Approach for Baku After Monaco

The FIA rejected Ferrari’s protests, saying the Red Bull drivers’ tires did not fully cross to the left of the yellow line.

One of the Formula One race directors, Niels Wittich, confirmed the new pit lane approach in the pre-race event notes for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

Ferrari filed two protests against Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez following the Monaco Grand Prix for alleged pit exit infractions. However, the FIA rejected the protests. According to BBC, the stewards determined that Verstappen did not have a full wheel to the left of the line while no part of Pérez’s wheel was to the left of the yellow line.

Previously, if a driver touched the lines, they would have breached the rules. But now, it has to be a full tire crossing the line. 

Wittich revised the pit lane message for teams and drivers heading into Baku in light of the Monaco incident and the change in F1’s International Sporting Code over the winter. According to the pre-race notes, “In accordance with Chapter 4, Article 4 and 5 of Appendix L to the ISC drivers must follow the procedures at pit entry and pit exit.”

Drivers may cross the line, but once the tire is fully over the line, they have breached the rules.