Red Bull Fined €50,000 by FIA After Attempting to Remove McLaren’s Grid Tape Before the United States Grand Prix
Red Bull Racing has been fined €50,000 by the FIA following a breach of pre-race regulations at the United States Grand Prix. The incident occurred when a member of the Red Bull team attempted to remove tape that McLaren had placed to guide Lando Norris into his correct grid position before the start of the race.
According to the FIA’s official report, the Red Bull staff member “re-entered the gate well area at Gate 1 in proximity of the second grid position,” which was Norris’s slot on the grid at the Circuit of The Americas. This happened after all cars had pulled away for the formation lap, a moment when team personnel are no longer permitted on the grid or in adjacent restricted zones.
The tape in question was reportedly applied by McLaren to help Norris align his car precisely within his grid box. Drivers often have limited visibility from the cockpit, particularly when trying to position the front wing and tyres perfectly within the marked boundaries. The tape served as a simple visual guide to ensure Norris achieved the optimal launch position for the start.
However, once the cars leave for the formation lap, the FIA enforces strict rules to clear all non-essential personnel and equipment from the grid area for safety reasons. The stewards found that by attempting to access the grid wall area after this point, the Red Bull staff member had violated Article 12.2.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code, which forbids any obstruction of safety procedures once the grid is cleared.
The stewards’ official decision stated that “hindering the safety measures to prepare the track for the race after the grid has been cleared is absolutely prohibited.” They further noted that while the Red Bull representative claimed the team member was unaware of marshals’ attempts to stop him from entering, ignorance of such instructions could not be accepted as an excuse. The stewards emphasized that all team members should be fully aware of grid protocols and the moment at which entry is forbidden.
As a result, Red Bull was handed a €50,000 fine, with half of the amount—€25,000—suspended for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season. This means the remaining portion of the fine will only be enforced if Red Bull commits a similar infringement before the season concludes.
The FIA’s report detailed the incident further, noting that the staff member “did not appear to react to the marshals’ efforts to prevent him from entering the gate well area.” The stewards concluded that this act delayed the process of closing the gate, which is considered an unsafe interference with race preparations. Consequently, they deemed a significant penalty necessary to deter any repetition.
In response to the incident, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the situation as a “misunderstanding.” He explained that the team reviewed footage of the event alongside FIA officials and found no deliberate attempt to ignore instructions. “We went to see the video with the FIA,” Mekies said. “Sure, it’s something we can do better in the future, but certainly on our side, we do not feel that we ignored any instructions. We did not receive any specific directives, and it was just a small misunderstanding. Nonetheless, it’s something we will address going forward.”
This is not the first time Red Bull has used a similar tactic to remove or adjust grid markings, although previous instances reportedly went unpenalized. The FIA’s decision to impose a fine this time underscores the governing body’s increasing emphasis on maintaining strict procedural discipline before races begin.
The incident did not appear to affect the race outcome. Max Verstappen dominated the weekend in Austin, winning both the sprint and main race to complete a near-perfect performance. His double victory allowed him to close the championship gap to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 23 points, leaving him just 40 points adrift with five rounds remaining.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris had a competitive outing of his own. Although he lost a position to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the first corner, he later reclaimed it with five laps to go, ultimately finishing where he started. The result narrowed his deficit to teammate Piastri to just 14 points, setting up an intense three-way fight for the world championship between Piastri, Verstappen, and Norris as the season enters its final stretch.
While Red Bull’s grid infringement may seem minor in isolation, the FIA’s firm stance highlights its zero-tolerance approach toward procedural violations, particularly those involving safety zones. The suspended portion of the fine serves as a warning that future incidents could lead to harsher financial or sporting penalties.
As Formula 1 continues its push for stricter operational discipline, teams will need to ensure that all personnel are fully briefed on race-day protocols—down to the smallest details like tape marks on the grid. What may appear to be a harmless act of tidiness could, as Red Bull discovered in Texas, come with a hefty price tag.
