F1 Starting Grid 2023 Canadian F1 Grand Prix

Event: Canadian F1 Grand Prix
Track: Gilles Villeneuve circuit

Warm-up lap starts at: 14:00 Local | 20:.00 CET | 19:00 UK | 11:00 LA | 03:00 Tokio

In a thrilling twist at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix qualifying, Haas's Nico Hulkenberg, who initially secured a second-place start, now faces a three-place grid penalty due to a red flag violation. This shuffle in the starting line-up follows the decision by the stewards after an investigation into Hulkenberg's actions during qualifying.

The German driver had initially stunned fans and competitors alike by securing an unexpected second-place during Saturday's qualifying. He skillfully navigated the wet conditions at the Montreal track to wedge himself between Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who secured pole position, and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso​¹​.

However, the stewards' decision to impose a three-place penalty on Hulkenberg will see him drop to the fifth position on the grid. This reshuffling will push Alonso, along with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, up a spot each.

The stewards' report revealed that Hulkenberg was on another fast lap after posting his fastest time when the red flag was displayed. He was at T1 and already 1.5 seconds over his delta time. The driver cited this fact and the confusion around the beep signal in his headset as the reasons for his struggle to stay below the delta in the subsequent sector.

Telemetry comparisons with Esteban Ocon's Car 31 indicated that Hulkenberg maintained approximately the same speed for the remainder of the lap, which was in line with the delta times in each mini-sector. The stewards considered this as a mitigating factor.

Nevertheless, the rules are unambiguous, and a penalty must be imposed despite no evidence of dangerous or unsafe driving by Hulkenberg. The typical penalty for failing to slow under red flags is a ten grid position drop. However, considering the mitigating circumstances, the stewards deemed a lesser penalty fitting.

The stewards stressed the importance of drivers adhering to the rules during red flag situations, even when no excessive speed is evident. They also recommended that Hulkenberg familiarize himself more with the operational aspects of the delta signals.

Before the investigation and penalty announcement, Hulkenberg applauded Haas's efforts. He credited the team's choice of tyres and timing, and even the red flag, for his initial second-place position. He admitted that qualifying was challenging due to the wet conditions and the circuit's concrete walls but expressed enjoyment in the process.

As it stands, Hulkenberg's penalty mirrors the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, with the front row consisting of the same drivers. The official starting positions after the reshuffle are now Max Verstappen at pole position, followed by Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the top five​.

F1 Starting Grid 2023 Canadian GP

*Penalties:

• Carlos Sainz, Ferrari #55 received a 3 places grid penalty fo impeding other drivers
• Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri received a 3 places grid penalty fo impeding other drivers
• Lance Stroll, Aston Martin #18 received a 3 places grid penalty fo impeding other drivers
• Nico Hulkenberg, Haas #27 received a a 3 places grid penalty for a red-flag infringement during qualifying

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