FIA announce F1 champion penalty verdict after Las Vegas Grand Prix incident

FIA announce F1 champion penalty verdict after Las Vegas Grand Prix incident

The FIA has announced its decision regarding a penalty involving a former F1 champion during the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The action-packed Friday saw intense competition for pole position among McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Mercedes appeared to be the dominant team heading into the weekend, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell showcasing strong performances during Thursday and Friday sessions.

Ultimately, it was the younger Mercedes driver, Russell, who delivered a stellar lap to secure pole position, outpacing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

While the front of the grid delivered excitement, other teams faced significant challenges.

Sergio Perez of Red Bull and the Aston Martin drivers endured a disappointing qualifying session.

Lance Stroll’s car suffered an engine problem during FP3, triggering a red flag and forcing the team into a race against time to complete repairs.

Although Stroll managed to participate in qualifying, he failed to advance beyond Q1 and posted the slowest time of the session.

Fernando Alonso, Stroll’s teammate, also faced difficulties. After an incident in FP3, he was summoned by the stewards for exceeding the pit lane speed limit by 1.3 km/h, which violated Article 34.7 of the sporting regulations.

The FIA’s investigation resulted in a minor sanction for Aston Martin.

Instead of imposing a severe penalty on Alonso, the team received a €200 fine for the infraction.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend has thus far delivered a mix of thrilling competition and logistical setbacks, with standout performances at the top and struggles for several drivers further down the grid.

Mercedes, in particular, has positioned itself as a force to be reckoned with, while Aston Martin continues to contend with technical challenges.

The FIA’s relatively lenient verdict on Alonso’s pit lane breach reflects a measured approach to minor infractions during a high-stakes weekend.