FIA Announce Carlos Sainz penalty verdict after….read more
During the opening practice session of the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, an incident involving Carlos Sainz has led to a financial penalty for the Williams Formula 1 team. Sainz was found to be in violation of the pit lane speed regulations, which resulted in the team receiving a fine of €1,000 from the FIA.
The breach occurred towards the end of Friday’s first free practice session. Sainz, driving car number 55, was recorded traveling at a speed of 93.7 kilometers per hour while entering or passing through the pit lane. This speed significantly exceeded the set limit of 80 km/h, going 13.7 km/h over the maximum allowed. According to the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, specifically Article 34.7, exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane is strictly prohibited. This rule is enforced to ensure the safety of team personnel, marshals, and drivers, given the confined and busy nature of the pit lane environment.
Upon review, the FIA stewards referred to the regulation and concluded that the Williams team, for whom Sainz was driving during the session, was responsible for the infraction. As a result, a fine was imposed on the team rather than on the driver himself. The stewards issued a formal statement confirming the violation, stating: “Car 55 exceeded the pit lane speed limit which is set at 80 km/h for this event by 13.7 km/h.” The incident, while not severe enough to warrant further disciplinary action such as grid penalties or reprimands, still warranted a financial consequence due to the safety risk involved.
The stewards also reminded all teams and drivers of their rights under FIA governance. According to Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, teams are entitled to appeal decisions made by the stewards within specified timeframes if they believe an error has been made.
While this particular violation did not impact Sainz’s competitive standing or the outcome of the session, it does highlight the strict adherence to safety protocols demanded in Formula 1. Even a minor breach like pit lane speeding is met with swift action, reinforcing the FIA’s commitment to enforcing regulations consistently across all teams and drivers.
This incident comes amid growing anticipation around driver performances, including comparisons between Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon as speculation builds around team dynamics for the 2025 season.
