F1: McLaren avoids penalty for tire mix-up

The McLaren Formula 1 team has avoided a penalty for accidentally fitting one of Jenson Button's tires to Fernando Alonso's car during British Grand Prix qualifying.

The team was planning a double pit stop during Q1 when Button was called into FIA weighing area, meaning Alonso arrived in the pitbox first.

"We had a double pit stop with both cars and a little bit of confusion coming," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier explained. "Fernando passing Jenson, Jenson stopping at the FIA scale and then one of the tires of Jenson was put on Fernando's car."

This was a breach of article 25.4 of the sporting regulations with the stewards handing the Woking-based team a reprimand.

The stewards said in a statement: "The team admitted the wrong tire had been fitted onto car 14 (Alonso) due to a communication error."

Originally on AUTOSPORT.com