Share this article on LinkedIn Email

Four drivers from the Formula 3 European Championship were ordered to help marshals set up their posts at the Hungaroring as a penalty for being late to sign on.

Carlin trio Lando Norris, Jehan Daruvala and Ferdinand Habsburg, plus Hitech Grand Prix's Nikita Mazepin, all had to assemble at 7.30am on Saturday after getting caught out by the Thursday signing-on time.

Carlin team manager Gary Bonnor explained that when it became apparent that his trio of drivers would not finish their track walk in time, he asked an official if it would be OK if they were a few minutes late to sign on, and left with the impression that they had the required dispensation.

Sometime Force India Formula 1 test driver Mazepin told Autosport: "It was quite a physical warm-up for us!"

"We got picked up by a van at Marshals' Post 22 and put in the back, and then we had to hand out fire extinguishers at 25 posts.

"Each of the extinguishers was 6kg and we handed out 210 of them, having to take them up and down steps to the posts.

"I won't ever be late for signing on again!"

Even if he has learned his lesson for signing on, Mazepin has been ordered to turn up even earlier - at 7.00am - for the same duties on Sunday because he was four minutes late on Saturday.

If the Russian is late again, he will be liable to a sporting penalty, which could mean a grid drop.

Harrison Newey was also late for signing on, but the 18-year-old Van Amersfoort Racing driver had dispensation because he was sitting an A-level exam at school and was never going to arrive at the circuit in time.

Meanwhile, Mazepin's Hitech engineer Simon Finniss quipped: "I think they should have dressed them up in orange as well!"

