Vandoorne loses Valencia Formula E pole after tyre rules infringement

Mercedes’ Stoffel Vandoorne has had all of his times deleted from qualifying for the Formula E Valencia E-Prix due to a tyre rules infringement.

The Belgian had claimed a sensational pole position in Valencia, beating Techeetah's Antonio Felix da Costa to top spot by just 0.028s.

The infringement means Vandoorne will be forced to start from 24th on the grid, handing da Costa pole for this afternoon’s Valencia E-Prix.

The stewards ruled that Mercedes had breached article 3.2 of Formula E’s regulations, which states: “On the sidewall of each tyre, appropriate identification will be applied. The only allowable markings applied by the Competitor onto the tyre sidewalls are for the purpose of identification of the car number, the set number and the tyre location. All other markings are prohibited.”

Vandoorne had his times removed for using a tyre which wasn’t declared in the technical passport for his car.

Every Formula E team is required to complete a technical passport for their cars ahead of scrutineering at each round during the season. 

A statement on the Formula E website read: “Mercedes-EQ's Stoffel Vandoorne has had his Group Qualifying and Super Pole times cancelled as a result of a breach of Article 3.2 of the Technical Regulations, Bulletin 1 of the DHL Valencia E-Prix and Article 25.3 and 25.6 of the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's Sporting Regulations.

“The number of the tyre mounted on the car (03709739) did not correspond with any of those declared in the Technical Passport.”

Da Costa will line up from pole position ahead of BMW’s Maximilian Gunther.

Click here to find out the full qualifying results for the Valencia E-Prix (Race 1).