F1 Star Was Handed Two Penalties After 'Passing Out' During Qatar GP
The 2025 Qatar Grand Prix will take place around the Lusail Circuit this weekend.
Marcus Chan
A Formula 1 star was handed two penalties after 'passing out' during the Qatar Grand Prix.
This weekend, the 2025 F1 campaign will continue around the Lusail Circuit in Qatar as the title race reaches the business end.
With two Grands Prix and a Sprint left, Lando Norris has a 24-point lead over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
Heading into the weekend, Norris knows that he will become world champion if he manages to outscore his rivals by two or more points.
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However, the Qatar Grand Prix has not been too kind to the British driver in recent years, having failed to finish ahead of Piastri and Verstappen in the previous two editions.
Meanwhile, the nature of the track meant that the sport's governing body, the FIA, introduced a new rule for this year's race.
It has been suggested that drivers will only be allowed to run tyres for a maximum of 25 laps, a measure brought in to 'mitigate the danger of potential tyre blowouts'.
Ever since being added to the calendar, the Lusail Circuit has been known for having high tyre wear.
With the new rule in place, the Qatar Grand Prix, which will run for 57 laps, is now a guaranteed two-stopper.
Aside from strategy, the drivers will also have to keep the cars within track limits or they will be punished by the stewards.
During the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll was handed two five-second penalties for track limit infringements, dropping him from ninth to 12th.
However, speaking about the penalties after the race, Stroll revealed that he was passing out at the wheel due to the intense heat. Drivers had to deal with temperatures of up to 50C (122F) in their cockpits.
He said: "P9 on the road and got two points and then penalties, but I don't even care. I mean, it was just so hard out there.
"I mean, track limits, they painted the kerbs, and you can't see the track, it was so dizzy, it's dark, and you're fading out with low blood pressure and just passing out in the car, and they're giving track limit penalties, it's kind of a joke."
Stroll continued: "It was with 20 laps to go [when my condition started to worsen.] I was passing out, it was tough but I'm sure it was tough for everyone else."
Mercedes driver George Russell also stated that he was struggling with the heat and almost passed out.
He said: "It was beyond the limit of what is acceptable.
"Over 50% of the grid said they were feeling sick, couldn’t drive and were close to passing out. You don’t want to be passing out at the wheel when you are driving at 200mph, and that is how I felt at times."
Meanwhile, then-Alpine star Esteban Ocon revealed that he vomited inside his helmet due to the brutal conditions.