Why F1 mechanics couldn’t get back on the grid in Italian GP aborted start

The Monza race eventually got going over 20 minutes after its scheduled start time due to a series of issues triggered by Yuki Tsunoda stopping on the initial warm-up lap as a result of a suspected MGU-H issue that AlphaTauri is still investigating. 

Following Tsunoda’s stoppage, the other drivers massed on the grid as they typically would for a standing start, before getting the order that that getaway was aborted and to complete another formation lap. 

But when they returned to the grid, they were held for a very long time with no additional information on the starting gantry screen, only being informed of what was going on by their race engineers on the team radio channels. 

This was that the second start attempt had also been aborted as Tsunoda’s car was stuck in gear and could not be recovered quickly, which meant the teams would need to send their mechanics back to the cars to cool the engines and brakes, and warm the starting tyres with blankets. 

At the same time, the FIA timing information screen did not display that the second start would be aborted, with officials informing the teams instead on their radio channels and the watching world via media communications groups. 

Motorsport.com sources indicate that the mechanics could not then get quickly onto the grid through the Monza pitlane’s main gate near the head of the pack because the LED screen not displaying the second aborted meant security officials were reluctant to open the gates without ensuring the right protocol was being followed. 

Understandably, the view was taken that it was better to open the gate too late rather than too early, given had something gone awry the cars might have been running near people entering what remained an essentially live track. 

Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT04

But two mechanics were so concerned they climbed over the pitwall to try and reach their cars before waiting for the rest to be allowed onto the grid, which soon happened. 

Once the gate was opened and the mechanics flooded back onto the grid, the start procedure reset and commenced with a typically communicated five-minute warning message. 

During the eventual start, the full set of lights were barely all on before the pack was finally given permission to launch, with polesitter Carlos Sainz then successfully seeing off the attentions of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at Turn 1. 

Verstappen eventually pressured Sainz into wearing his tyres and making a small mistake, before going on to seize his record-setting 10th F1 win in succession.