29/04/2023
NEWS STORY
Tsunoda and Norris likely to suffer as the result of a new rule relating to tyres aimed at restricting those drivers able to participate in the final phase of the Shootout.
In a further twist to the revision of the Sprint weekend format, even the most Herculean of efforts today will not allow Lando Norris or Yuki Tsunoda take part in the final phase of today's Shootout which comprises the grid for the subsequent Sprint.
While in qualifying drivers are free to use whatever tyres they choose, in the Shootout drivers are restricted to one set of mediums in the first and second phases and softs in the all-important final phase.
However, in a further twist, a new rule dictates that in the final phase each set used must be new.
Article 30.5 (iv) states: "In the period SQ3 of the sprint shootout, up to one set of dry-weather tyres may be used, and this must only be a new set of the soft specification."
Therefore, Norris and Tsunoda - who qualified 7th and 8th for tomorrow's Grand Prix - and who had used all their available sets of softs during Friday's sessions, are precluded from taking part in the final phase today which means that the best they can hope for is to start ninth or tenth.
"If you look at the regulation you are obliged to use a new set of tyres," confirmed Pirelli's Mario Isola. "Obviously it's a new regulation and it's probably needed to do some fine-tuning," he added in a masterpiece of understatement.
There was talk of a late move by the teams to block the rule however the FIA is going ahead with it.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Baku here.