Why it matters
Haas faces a potential pitlane start penalty for a rare parc fermé rule violation, highlighting the team's ongoing struggles with performance and consistency.
The details
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer referred Haas to the stewards for allegedly failing to cover Ollie Bearman's car within two hours of the chequered flag at the end of Dutch Grand Prix qualifying. This constitutes a breach of Article 40.6 of the sporting regulations, which mandates that all cars must be covered and ready for FIA seals within that timeframe. A breach of Article 40.6 also implies a breach of Article 40.9, which strictly forbids changes to the car's parts or suspension setup while under parc fermé conditions.
Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman qualified 18th and 19th respectively, only ahead of Lance Stroll, who did not set a lap time. If found guilty, Bearman would be penalized by starting from the pitlane for the combined offences.
The big picture
Team principal Ayao Komatsu has been vocal about the team's disappointing results and the car's inconsistent potential. He has repeatedly lamented the team's inability to extract the best performance consistently, leading to their slip to ninth in the constructors' championship.
What's next
It is unclear if this was an oversight from Haas or a deliberate move, perhaps to allow for set-up changes to Bearman's car in parc fermé conditions, accepting a pitlane start. The stewards will now review the case and make a decision on Haas's culpability and any resulting penalties.
