Parc fermé infringement forces Aston Martin driver into pit lane start

The 28-year-old, who could manage only 21st in Saturday’s qualifying, will now begin Sunday’s race from the pit lane following a parc fermé infringement by Aston Martin. The Silverstone-based outfit made multiple changes to Stroll’s car, including the introduction of a fourth Energy Store (ES) and fourth Control Electronics Unit (CE), alongside other power unit element replacements, all without the approval of the FIA Technical Delegate during parc fermé.

The changes constitute a breach of Articles B8.2.2 and B3.5.3 of the FIA Formula 1 regulations, resulting in the penalty that sends the Montreal native to the pit lane.

In a statement, Aston Martin explained its decision: “Lance will start today’s race from the pit lane. We have taken a strategic decision to replace the battery (ESME) and make several other set-up changes to the car.”

So far It has been a mixed weekend overall for Stroll, with the home favourite failing to escape Q1 across all qualifying segments. He did, however, manage to finish P16 in the Sprint after progressing through the 23-lap shootout.

Earlier, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies warned that the Canadian Grand Prix could produce a wave of unpredictable radio messages and strategic confusion, largely driven by the threat of changing weather conditions. Speaking after a difficult qualifying session for his team, Mekies told F1 TV that the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could be a steep learning curve for several outfits, particularly if conditions remain unsettled.

“In terms of what's going to happen tomorrow, honestly, I think it's going to be a massively steep learning for everyone,” he said. “You will hear a lot of entertaining radio conversation because it's going to be new for everyone. It's going to be tough. There's a combination between do you get the grip, do you get the power, do you not get the grip and still get the power. It's going to be very tough, but sooner or later we have to race in the wet with these cars, and it's going to be exciting to watch,” Mekies concluded

Rain is expected to play a major role in Sunday’s race, with forecasts suggesting showers around the scheduled start time. The FIA has already declared a rain hazard, with the probability of precipitation exceeding 40%.