All articles tagged with #grid penalty
The FIA confirmed a 20‑place grid penalty for Alex Albon at the Italian Grand Prix after his Williams FW48 used a fifth internal combustion engine and fourth control electronics unit, triggering two 10‑place penalties under the 2026 regulations; he will start at the back of the Monza grid, with Kimi Antonelli also serving a power‑unit related penalty.
Mercedes chose an engine-change grid penalty for Kimi Antonelli at Monza to start from the back and reduce home-pressure while aligning with the October ADUO upgrade, a move framed as a potential blessing as the Italian has matured into a serious championship challenger.
Pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli will start the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone from pole after Pierre Gasly’s three-place grid penalty drops him to 15th; Leclerc lines up second, Hamilton third and Russell fourth, with Isack Hadjar fifth on the provisional grid and the rest of the field including Norris, Verstappen and Piastri in the mix.
Valtteri Bottas won’t have to serve the five‑place grid penalty from his 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Australian GP after the FIA applied a retroactive tweak to grid‑penalty rules, allowing him to line up where he qualified; Cadillac’s F1 debut weekend isn’t expected to be affected beyond that change.
Carlos Sainz received a five-place grid penalty for the Mexico City Grand Prix after being deemed at fault in a collision with Kimi Antonelli during the United States Grand Prix in Austin, which led to Sainz's retirement from the race. The incident was investigated, and Sainz was found primarily responsible, resulting in the penalty and two license points. Sainz described the crash as worse from the outside, while Antonelli expressed that he tried to avoid contact.
Oliver Bearman received a 10-place grid penalty and four penalty points for ignoring red flags during the F1 British GP practice session, after crashing into the barriers while returning to the pits at high speed and not reducing his speed as required by regulations.
Ollie Bearman received a 10-place grid penalty and four penalty points for the British Grand Prix after violating red flag procedures during final practice, which included speeding in the pit entry and crashing into barriers, as investigated by stewards.
Charles Leclerc has received a 10-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Ferrari installed a new energy store, exceeding the season's allocation. This setback complicates Ferrari's battle with McLaren for the constructors' championship, as they trail by 21 points. Despite the penalty, Leclerc showed strong pace in FP1, topping the timesheets, but Ferrari will need a flawless weekend to keep their championship hopes alive.
Charles Leclerc will face a 10-place grid penalty at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to Ferrari fitting a new battery, exceeding the allowed allocation for the season. This setback complicates Ferrari's efforts to surpass McLaren in the constructors' championship, where they trail by 21 points. Leclerc emphasized the need for a flawless performance and a 1-2 finish to have any chance of overtaking McLaren, despite Ferrari's historical challenges at the Yas Marina Circuit. Additionally, Williams drivers Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto will also incur grid penalties for using extra components.
Max Verstappen expressed his disappointment and loss of respect for George Russell after a stewards' hearing in Qatar, where Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty for allegedly impeding Russell during qualifying. Despite the penalty, Verstappen won the race, while Russell finished fourth. Verstappen criticized the decision, feeling unfairly penalized for trying to be considerate on track, and was surprised by Russell's role in the incident.
Max Verstappen expressed frustration after receiving a grid penalty at the Qatar Grand Prix for driving too slowly on his out-lap, which promoted George Russell to pole position. Verstappen argued that he was simply creating a gap like other drivers and criticized the need to visit the stewards. The penalty is significant for Red Bull as they aim to close the gap with McLaren in the Constructors' Championship.
Max Verstappen has been penalized with a one-place grid drop for the Qatar Grand Prix after an incident with George Russell during qualifying. Verstappen, who initially secured pole position, was deemed to have driven unnecessarily slowly, forcing Russell to take evasive action. As a result, Russell inherits pole position, and Verstappen will start from second place. The decision was made after reviewing telemetry, team radio, and onboard footage, with the stewards noting Verstappen's slow driving as an attempt to cool his tires.
Valtteri Bottas, driving for Sauber, has received a five-place grid penalty for the Las Vegas Grand Prix after exceeding the limit on power unit components by using a fourth energy store, violating FIA regulations. This penalty complicates Sauber's efforts to secure their first points of the season, especially as Bottas and teammate Zhou Guanyu are set to leave the team after the season's final races. Sauber has introduced a new upgrades package to improve performance, while other drivers like Sergio Perez and Alex Albon have made permissible changes to their cars.
Max Verstappen has been summoned by the FIA stewards for allegedly impeding Kevin Magnussen during the first segment of qualifying for the F1 Austrian GP. Onboard footage showed Verstappen driving slowly on the exit of Turn 1 while Magnussen was beginning his hot lap. Magnussen's lap was later deleted for a track limits infringement. Verstappen risks a grid penalty if found guilty, potentially handing pole position to Charles Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc's hopes of a first podium on home soil were dashed after a three-place grid penalty dropped him to sixth in the Monaco Grand Prix. Leclerc had qualified third but was penalized for impeding McLaren's Lando Norris during the final stage of qualifying. Leclerc's weekend summed up Ferrari's season so far: not quite quick enough to properly fight for first, drivers outstripping the performance of the car, only then for a slip-up to throw away any opportunity of salvaging a good result.