Formula 1 News: Albon disqualified from Dutch GP qualifying

Williams driver Alex Albon has been disqualified from the results of Saturday’s Dutch GP qualifying session at Zandvoort due to a breach of the technical regulations.

Albon had qualified eighth for the Dutch Grand Prix but will now start from the rear of the field along with his teammate Logan Sargeant thanks to an issue with the floor of his heavily updated car.

Williams unleashed a new diffuser, sidepod inlet, engine cover, central air intake and floor body at the first event after F1’s summer break, as the Grove operation look to climb the midfield order.

However, FIA F1 Technical Delegate Jo Bauer noted a potential problem relating to that floor body after qualifying, with the stewards subsequently investigating the matter.

Albon and a team representative were called to visit the stewards at 1830 local time and, following that discussion, the panel handed out their disqualification.

The stewards’ conclusion read: “The floor body of Car 23 was found to lie outside the regulatory volume mentioned in Article 3.5.1 a) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations.

“The team did not dispute the calibration of the FIA measuring system and the measurement of the car, but stated that their own measurements have produced different results.

“The Stewards determine that the result of the measurement conducted with the FIA system in Parc Ferme is the relevant one and the due process prescribed by the regulations has been followed. Therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement is applied.”