F2 driver disqualified after team's bizarre mishap with guest during garage visit

Formula 2 driver Noel Leon was disqualified from the Belgian feature race through a bizarre and costly mistake in the Campos Racing garage.

Leon finished in seventh place in Sunday's feature race, but was called before the stewards shortly after the chequered flag, where he was ultimately disqualified.

Bizarrely, this was not through any on-track misdemeanour, but with because of a simple error made in the garage, as a guest was given the wrong type of headset. 

Ordinarily, guests are allowed a listen-only headset, but on this occasion, they had mistakenly been given one with a microphone. Although the FIA warned that this was illegal, the guest then continued to use the device.

Along with the disqualification, Campos Racing were fined €20,000, and was given a suspended 25-point deduction in the teams' standings. 

"A person declared as Non-Operational Personnel was observed wearing a radio headset fitted with a microphone, and therefore had the appearance of potentially being able to transit, and therefore not a “listen-only headset”," read the FIA decision document. 

"This is alleged to be a breach of Appendix 5 and Article 21.5 of the F2 Sporting Regulations. Under the applicable regulations, Non-Operational Personnel may only be in possession of a listen-only radio headset. 

“During the hearing, the Team Manager explained that the person concerned, who was a team guest, had inadvertently taken the wrong type of headset. The Stewards noted that the team guest had been approached by a Scrutineer and informed that the headset was not permitted as it was fitted with a microphone. 

“The Scrutineer was advised in response that the microphone was folded upwards. Despite having been specifically advised that the headset was not permitted, the team guest subsequently put the headset back on and continued to use it. 

“The Stewards Nevertheless, the Team remains responsible for ensuring that radio equipment provided to Non-Operational Personnel and team guests complies with the applicable requirements.”

“The regulations in this respect are clear: Non-Operational Personnel may only be in possession of a listen-only radio headset. The Team is expected to exercise greater care in controlling the allocation and use of such equipment. 

“In determining the scope of the penalty, the Stewards also established that the team guest concerned was associated exclusively with Car 5 and had no involvement with the Team’s other car.”

This last element was significant, as championship leader Nikola Tsolov, also of Campos Racing, was summoned to face the stewards, but escaped punishment after finishing in third place.