Charles Leclerc summoned ahead of Azerbaijan GP qualifying following alleged practice infringement

Charles Leclerc up close as he laps the Baku circuit

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is off to see the stewards ahead of qualifying in Azerbaijan, following an alleged infringement in final practice.

The Monegasque driver has been called up to explain himself over an incident in final practice at the Baku City Circuit.

Charles Leclerc summoned by FIA stewards in Baku

Leclerc finished with the second-quickest time of the third practice session in Baku, popping in a 1:42.527 to set what was then the currently quickest time of FP3 at the time.

But Leclerc’s time was set while yellow flags were showing in the first sector of the lap, due to Nico Hulkenberg going off into an escape area in his Haas.

The incident caught the attention of the stewards, who called up the Monegasque at 14:45 local time to explain his perspective of the incident.

“Alleged breach of Appendix H, Article 2.5.5 b) of the International Sporting Code and non-compliance with Race Director’s Event Note (item 1, document 21) – Failing to slow under yellow flags at 13:20,” read the summons document.

The event notes released by race director Niels Wittich outline that, under single-waved yellow flags, drivers must “reduce their speed and be prepared to change direction.

“It must be clear that a driver has reduced speed and, in order for this to be clear, a driver would be expected to have braked earlier and/or discernibly reduced speed in the relevant marshalling sector.”

Given that Leclerc set the quickest time of the session, including the fastest first sector, during this yellow flag, the Ferrari driver could face punishment for the alleged transgression.

Separately, an incident between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz resulted in a warning for the Red Bull driver in a role reversal of a very similar incident between the duo in Friday practice.

Read Next: Red Bull correctly predict ‘similar reverse outcome’ in latest Perez/Sainz incident