The reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has been penalized by the FIA after breaching a rule during the Monaco Grand Prix race weekend as McLaren found itself in hot water. There were two distinct breaches of rules carried out by Lando Norris during his participation in the event. First, Norris was late for the Thursday FIA press conference, along with Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc, which resulted in a stewards’ investigation. Later, an engine malfunction during practice for Norris in McLaren’s car raised a red flag and incurred a heavier penalty.
The Stewards stated, “The team admitted that for aerodynamic purposes, it had placed transparent tape over the button that is required to be pressed to activate the CDS.”
Based on the report from the stewards’ hearings, Norris and Leclerc had prior obligations to attend to before joining the media meeting. Afterward, both drivers joined a hearing with team managers, and it was decided by the FIA to hold both teams accountable for the breach according to their regulations. Therefore, both McLaren and Ferrari teams faced a suspended €5,000 fine applicable within the next 12 months without any other violation of rules.
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FIA Explains Penalties Issued During Monaco GP Weekend
Verdict of FIA International Sporting Code
The FIA based its decision on Article B10.1.1a of the sporting regulations, which requires drivers to attend official media activities on time during a grand prix weekend. The stewards noted that the delay disrupted the planned schedule of the Monaco media session.
The FIA further pointed to Article 9.15.1 of the International Sporting Code, which states that competitors are responsible for the actions of their drivers. Consequently, the penalties were issued to McLaren and Ferrari rather than directly to Norris and Leclerc. Both teams received suspended fines of €5,000 for a period of 12 months.
Stewards’ statement: “Noting that in accordance with Article 9.15.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code, the Competitor is responsible for the actions of its driver, the penalty is imposed on the Competitor.”
Potential Penalty for Delays?
The case of delayed arrival merely led to suspended fines. However, McLaren incurred a much harsher penalty after Friday practice. Norris slowed down near the Nouvelle Chicane because of technical problems, and marshals failed to activate the car’s clutch disengagement system (CDS) promptly enough. Therefore, race control decided to suspend the practice session.
During the investigation, McLaren confessed that transparent tape was applied to the CDS activation button because of aerodynamic reasons. As a result, marshals were unable to operate the safety system properly. For this reason, McLaren incurred a fine of €30,000, but €10,000 was suspended. Thus, the team has to pay €20,000 immediately. Moreover, according to the FIA, the case of Racing Bulls in Canada made the issue quite clear.
