Hulkenberg baffled by Stroll pitlane collision during F1 Belgian GP qualifying

Nico Hulkenberg believes Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll should have yielded after the pair collided in the pitlane during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Hulkenberg was attempting to join the queue of cars leaving the pits at the start of the first segment of qualifying and thought he was sufficiently ahead of Stroll to emerge into the fast lane in front of the Aston.

But, in what the German described as a “peculiar” incident, the pair ended up colliding and resulted in damage to his Sauber’s front wing, with both being summoned to the stewards.

Speaking after qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, Hulkenberg was defended his actions and felt he followed the correct procedure. 

“When you have a front wheel crossing that white line between the pitlane, the fast lane and the slow lane, the next driver is supposed to let you in, slot you in,” he said. “And I believe my tyre was there, so I thought he would let me in, and then he didn’t.

“So we touched. A bit peculiar and obviously unnecessary that we lose a front wing like this. I hope we can recover it.”

When asked whether he had right of way or not, Hulkenberg said simply: “Well, we’ll see. I think we’ll go to the stewards and see what they say.”

Drivers in the fast lane have priority over those merging from the working lane, but drivers who have a full tyre across the white line have right of way.

“It is noted that a car will be considered to be ‘in the fast lane’ when a tyre has crossed the solid white line separating the fast lane from the inner lane, in this context crossing means that all of a tyre should be beyond the far side, with respect to the garages, of the line separating the fast lane from the inner lane,” the race director’s notes read. 

“Once a car has left its garage or pitstop position, it should blend into the fast lane as soon as it is safe to do so, and without unnecessarily impeding cars which are already in the fast lane.

“Thus, after the start or restart of a free practice session, sprint qualifying or qualifying session, if there is a suitable gap in a queue of cars in the fast lane, such that a driver can blend into the fast lane safely and without unnecessarily impeding cars already in the fast lane, they are free to do so.”

The collision will be investigated by the stewards due to the nature of the incident.

“I was just doing my thing in the queue and, yeah, I think he was trying to get his nose in the queue,” Stroll said following his Q1 exit. 

“I didn’t have to [let him in]. I mean, I was in the queue.”

Hulkenberg isn’t feeling optimistic for Sunday’s race and feels a repeat of his podium heroics from Silverstone last time out is unlikely.

“It’s very tough and difficult, especially around here in Spa,” he said. “It’s such a long lap as well.

“It can be very different conditions between one place and another place on the track, so difficult task for everyone coming up I would say.”