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Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Perez escape weighbridge penalties

Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg have all escaped with a "no further action" verdict after missing weight checks during qualifying for the Monaco GP.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90, in the pits during practice

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90, in the pits during practice

Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images

All three drivers missed the call to stop for the weighbridge during qualifying, but in all three cases their teams did not work on the cars, which were quickly returned to the FIA weighbridge.

In Azerbaijan, Pierre Gasly had to start from the pitlane because after missing the weighbridge call, his Red Bull team changed his tyres, which counts as working on the car.

The FIA accepted that the convoluted pit entry in Monaco made it hard for drivers to see if they were being required to stop, and given the "exceptional circumstances," there was no further penalty.

All three drivers were handed an identical decision, which noted: "The Stewards reviewed video evidence both from the on-board cameras and the external CCTV. The driver failed to stop at the weigh bridge, however the driver stopped almost immediately afterwards and the Stewards confirmed that no work was done on the car.

"Whilst the driver failed to stop, the Stewards saw from the on-board video that when the driver turned into pit lane the weigh-bridge boards were green, indicating that the driver could proceed without stopping. It was not until the driver was probably looking down pit lane that the boards changed to indicate the driver's number.

"This was due to the exceptional layout of the pit entry at this circuit and how late it is clear that the cars have committed to pit lane. The Stewards therefore accept that under the exceptional circumstances and as no sporting advantage was gained, no further action is warranted."

Hulkenberg confirmed that it was hard to see the weighbridge light while coming into the pits.

"As I came into the pitlane, you see the light quite late," he said. "|I looked, it was green, and then I focussed back on the pitlane. And then they switched just after.

"In all honesty I think they're a bit late on the switch there. Here it's very dynamic, you turn right, you turn left, so you have to kind of look where you're going.

"You just focus with your eyes – as soon as I could see the board I checked, it was green, I looked away. But one second after I checked they must have turned it. I didn't even make it to my box, I stopped there and they pushed me back."

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