FIA Issues Late Penalties That Shake Up Miami GP following the in… read more
The outcome of the Miami Grand Prix sprint race took a dramatic turn after Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, issued a series of late penalties that significantly reshuffled the final standings. The penalties were announced following a chaotic sprint session at the Miami International Autodrome, which had already been full of drama before the race even officially began.
The excitement started early when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc suffered a crash due to heavy rain while heading to the grid, forcing him to withdraw from the sprint session altogether. Once the race was underway, the action remained intense, but it was only after the chequered flag fell that the biggest changes occurred. The FIA confirmed that three drivers—Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, and Ollie Bearman—received time penalties that ultimately cost them all points.
In Formula 1 sprint races, only the top eight finishers are awarded championship points. Initially, Albon, Lawson, and Bearman all finished within that range, but the application of time penalties pushed each of them outside the crucial top eight positions.
Williams driver Alex Albon was penalized five seconds for failing to maintain the minimum time set by the ECU under the safety car, a regulation designed to ensure consistent and safe speeds. This infraction demoted him from an impressive fourth place down to eleventh, knocking him out of the points entirely.
Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was also handed a five-second penalty, this one for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso. The incident resulted in Alonso spinning off and bringing out a late safety car. The two-time world champion was unable to continue and recorded his third race DNF (Did Not Finish) of the season. Lawson, who had initially finished seventh, fell to thirteenth after the penalty.
The third driver affected was Haas’ Ollie Bearman. He was penalized for an unsafe release from the pit lane that forced teammate Nico Hulkenberg to take evasive action to avoid a collision. Like the others, Bearman received a five-second penalty, dropping him from eighth to fourteenth in the final classification.
These decisions from the stewards came after four drivers were summoned post-race, with three of those investigations resulting in penalties. As a result, the Miami sprint race standings were significantly altered, and three potential point-scorers were left empty-handed after what had appeared to be strong performances. The FIA’s late rulings underline the unpredictable nature of sprint events and the importance of clean, rule-abiding racing.
