(Reuters) – McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, still on a high after his win in Italy two weeks ago, was given a reprimand on Saturday for impeding Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll during Russian Grand Prix qualifying.
Race stewards noted in a statement that the Australian had taken immediate action as soon as he was aware of the Canadian’s presence on a wet track and with heavy spray reducing visibility.
McLaren had warned Ricciardo, whose Monza win was the team’s first victory since 2012, that team mate Lando Norris was coming up behind him but were unaware that Stroll was doing consecutive fast laps and so said nothing about him.
The stewards deemed the situation bordered on ‘unnecessary impeding’ but opted for a reprimand as the most appropriate penalty.
The reprimand was a first of the season for Ricciardo, who qualified fifth while Norris took pole position — his first in Formula One.
McLaren were given an official warning.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Clare Fallon)
