JUST IN :FIA announce second penalty demotion after dramatic

FIA Issues Second Post-Race Penalty Following Action-Packed Spanish Grand Prix

The Spanish Grand Prix delivered a dramatic and eventful finish, culminating in multiple post-race penalties issued by the FIA. The most significant of these came when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was handed a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell during the closing stages of the race.

Verstappen, who originally crossed the finish line in fifth place, was found at fault for the incident after stewards reviewed the clash. As a result, the Dutch driver was demoted to 10th position in the final classification, costing him valuable points in the championship standings.

However, Verstappen’s punishment wasn’t the only one meted out after the chequered flag. A second penalty was issued later on, this time involving a less prominent on-track incident. Race stewards confirmed that Car 30 was penalised after overtaking Car 87 while leaving the track boundaries, an action deemed to have resulted in a “lasting advantage.” The breach of regulations earned Car 30 a 10-second time penalty as well.

Although this specific incident did not have a significant impact on the front-runners, it added another layer of frustration for the Haas team, who had already endured a weekend to forget. Their drivers, Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon, struggled from the start, managing only 15th and 17th in qualifying respectively. Race day brought little improvement, as they finished 16th and 17th — the last two cars still circulating on the track by the end of the Grand Prix.

Bearman, who had replaced the injured Nico Hülkenberg for this round, showed glimpses of potential throughout the weekend but was ultimately unable to convert that into a meaningful result. Ocon, meanwhile, continued to experience a difficult season marred by inconsistency and underperformance, with the Spanish GP further compounding his woes.

The post-race penalties brought renewed scrutiny to the FIA’s officiating, particularly around consistency in how rules regarding on-track conduct and track limits are enforced. While some fans and pundits felt the sanctions were justified, others debated whether the time penalties were harsh or lenient, considering the circumstances of the incidents.

As the championship heads toward the halfway point of the season, tensions remain high both on and off the track. The fallout from Barcelona is likely to carry over into the next round, with Verstappen’s penalty potentially having implications in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested drivers’ title battle.

With teams now shifting focus to the next Grand Prix, all eyes will be on how the stewards handle future infractions — and whether drivers will adjust their approach in response to the FIA’s clampdown on aggressive and track-limits-breaching maneuvers.