A statement issued after the session by FIA F1 technical delegate Jo Bauer said the vertical deflection of the floor under a load of 4,000 Newtons had exceeded 5mm and thus breached the technical regulations.

However, after consulting with Toro Rosso, stewards accepted the team’s explanation that the failure was related to an impact suffered by Kvyat’s STR11 whilst on track.

“The team produced evidence that the car suffered an impact which reduced the downforce and resulted with a slower lap time than in Q2,” read the stewards’ statement.

“Therefore whilst technically the car failed to pass the deflection test, the stewards have decided not to impose any penalty. However the team is reminded that further tests will be conducted and that future failure of the test may not result in the same decision.”

Kvyat qualified ninth in Monte Carlo, two places behind team mate Carlos Sainz.

