Hulkenberg joins Ocon in Baku pit lane start

A suspension issue on his Haas means a pitlane start for Nico Hulkenberg for the Azerbaijan GP

Nico Hulkenberg has been hit with a pit lane start for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Haas has been forced to make set-up changes to the suspension on Hulkenberg’s VF-23 under parc fermé conditions.

It means the German driver, who had qualified 17th on the grid at the Baku Street Circuit, is now required to start from the pitlane alongside Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.

Ocon’s Alpine incurred an exhaust leak during the sprint shootout, necessitating repairs that resulted in what was effectively a double penalty.

Under the new rules for the sprint weekend, Ocon incurred a double pitlane start for both the sprint and grand prix.

Hulkenberg’s infringement means team-mate Kevin Magnussen and Pierre Gasly in his Alpine each move up a place to 17th and 18th, forming what is now the back row.