Russell and Perez among seven summoned over pre-race messages

George Russell and Sergio Perez are among seven drivers summoned to the stewards for messages they received on the formation lap of the Sprint at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Drivers are not allowed to receive specific messages from team members during formation laps to the grid, with the regulation in question stating that “The driver must drive the car alone and unaided.”

After a formation lap that saw the start aborted due to Guanyu Zhou stopping at the final corner, the stewards have now summoned six drivers following the end of the Sprint for messages they received.

As well as Russell and Perez -- who finished fourth and fifth respectively -- sixth-placed Esteban Ocon has also been summoned, as well as Mick Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll. Schumacher finished in ninth place ahead of Ricciardo in 12th and Stroll in 13th.

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Both Haas drivers were handed 10-second time penalties for assistance over team radio during the formation lap in Hungary in 2020, when they were instructed to pit for slick tires on a drying track.

There has also been a summons for Sebastian Vettel for the same topic, but Vettel had already been called to see the stewards relating to his “behavior in the drivers’ meeting” on Friday night. RACER understands Vettel left the meeting early, and is being investigated for potentially breaching the International Sporting Code, relating to:

“Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA.”