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# The 'extraordinary mitigating circumstances' that spared a grid drop
- URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-timing-error-saves-nico-hulkenberg-from-grid-drop/
- Published: 2026-10-10T19:12:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-10T19:35:35.000Z
- Description: Nico Hulkenberg has escaped a Singapore grid drop despite having been found to have “unnecessarily impeded” Carlos Sainz
- Author: Josh Suttill
- Tags: Formula 1, #nico-hulkenberg, #singapore-grand-prix, #carlos-sainz, #secondary_feature_4

Nico Hulkenberg has held onto his 10th place starting grid position for Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix despite having been found to have “unnecessarily impeded” Carlos Sainz in qualifying.

Even Hulkenberg seemed to be expecting a penalty for impeding Sainz as he was on the racing line on the entry to Turn 5 on a cooldown lap, while Sainz was pushing on his final Q2 lap. 

“I don't know, I didn't get told, I thought he was on a cool lap or whatever, I don't know. I didn't have a call - and yeah, doesn't sound great, unfortunately!” Hulkenberg said after qualifying when asked about the investigation. 

Sainz had to abandon his lap and was knocked out in 14th place, with Hulkenberg’s Audi also eliminated in 11th - but George Russell’s grid penalty means he’ll start 10th.

But Hulkenberg's impeding went unpunished because what the stewards described as “extraordinary mitigating circumstances”. 

Audi told the stewards that they believed “based on timing information to which they subscribed, sourced from the official timekeeping provider, that \[Sainz\] had already taken the chequered flag and conveyed that information to the driver by radio. 

“Therefore \[Hulkenberg\] did not expect \[Sainz\] to still be on a push lap when it was closing in. 

“The stewards acknowledge the fact that the data referenced by the team led the team to reasonably believe that \[Sainz\] had received the chequered flag. Indeed, it was evident from \[Sainz’s\] radio messages that its team had formed the same belief relying on the same data. 

“The misunderstanding was revealed to be attributable to the information initially received by the teams not being fully synchronised and only being displayed in a correct manner after a short period of time. 

“However, that post-processing did not occur until \[Sainz\] arrived behind \[Hulkenberg\], depriving the team of any reasonable opportunity to correct the information conveyed to the driver. 

“In the stewards’ assessment, because the source of the data upon which the team relied was the official timing provider, it was not unreasonable for the team to have relied upon it, even though the team also had available to it the official timing data which conflicted. 

“The stewards determined that Car 55 was unnecessarily impeded. However, there were extraordinary mitigating circumstances in this case because the incident was attributable to the team’s reliance on information that was, for a brief period, inconsistent.” 

Williams team boss James Vowles had said before the judgement was revealed that: “One of the systems indicated that he had crossed the line after the flag, but in reality he hadn’t and we need to make sure we tighten up that process and keep pushing until such time as we are confident.”