Breaking:FIA Issues Official Reprimand to Red Bull Star Following Saudi Arabian Grand Prix P…read more
Breaking:FIA Issues Official Reprimand to Red Bull Star Following Saudi Arabian Grand Prix P…read more
Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson, currently racing for the Red Bull sister team Racing Bulls, has been issued a formal reprimand by the FIA after breaching track regulations during Free Practice 1 (FP1) at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix held at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
The 23-year-old New Zealander, who started the 2025 Formula 1 season with the main Red Bull Racing team, was demoted to Racing Bulls just two races into the campaign after underwhelming performances. While still without a point this season, Lawson has been working steadily to rebuild confidence and form alongside teammate Isack Hadjar. Meanwhile, Red Bull has since promoted Yuki Tsunoda to the senior team in his place.
Despite being early in the race weekend and the incident occurring during a practice session, the FIA took official action after Lawson was found to have entered a restricted area of the track — specifically the painted section between the pit entry and the main circuit. This action is clearly prohibited in the event notes issued by the race director and serves as a safety and compliance measure for all drivers.
According to the FIA’s official report, Lawson committed this same infraction twice during the session. Stewards emphasized that it was made very clear in the pre-session event notes that no part of a car’s tyres was permitted to cross into this painted section. The FIA further stated that race control had flagged the first violation at 16:48:30 and communicated it, yet Lawson was not warned by his team afterward.
Race stewards highlighted that there were at least three laps between Lawson’s first and second infringements ample time during which the team could have reminded the driver of the rule. During the post-session hearing, Racing Bulls representatives confirmed they had not issued such a reminder, despite being notified of the initial breach.
However, the FIA placed the responsibility squarely on Lawson, noting that even in the absence of a team warning, drivers are expected to be fully aware of the race director’s instructions. Lawson acknowledged during the hearing that he was aware of the regulation.
As a result, and due to the repeated nature of the breach, the FIA opted to issue an official driving reprimand. Though this doesn’t carry an immediate sporting penalty, such as a time or grid drop, it does count toward the seasonal limit of four reprimands a driver can accumulate. Upon receiving a fifth reprimand (if all are related to driving infractions), a 10-place grid penalty is automatically applied at the event where that threshold is reached.
This marks Lawson’s first reprimand of the 2025 season. While it may not affect his starting position in Saudi Arabia, it does put him on notice for the remainder of the year, as repeated reprimands can quickly escalate into more serious consequences.
The incident also raises questions about team communication and accountability, particularly in practice sessions where teams are expected to help drivers avoid unnecessary errors. While Racing Bulls avoided any direct penalty for their lack of communication, the situation may prompt teams to be more proactive in warning drivers about potential rule breaches flagged by race control.
