FIA announce F1 punishment on Charles Leclerc at Imola Grand

FIA announce F1 punishment on Charles Leclerc at Imola Grand Prix due to.…read more

The FIA has issued an official statement concerning a regulatory violation involving Ferrari and their driver Charles Leclerc during the first practice session of the 2025 Imola Grand Prix. The matter under scrutiny involved a breach of Technical Directive 003Q 2.g.ii, which governs tyre handling procedures, particularly relating to pressure adjustments when a car is stationary in the garage.

During the opening free practice session, Ferrari was found to have improperly adjusted the tyre pressures on Leclerc’s car. The issue arose when the team reduced the tyre pressures without ensuring that the tyres had reached the mandated minimum temperature, as outlined in the Technical Directive. The rule specifies that before any modifications to tyre pressure are made—especially when the intention is to reuse the same tyres in the same session—the tyres must be brought up to a certain temperature threshold. This regulation is designed to safeguard both the safety of the drivers and the durability of the tyres, preventing situations that could lead to structural issues or unfair performance advantages.

After the session, the FIA summoned a Ferrari team representative to explain their process regarding the tyre pressure changes. During the hearing, Ferrari openly admitted to failing to comply with the technical directive. The team confirmed that the tyres were not properly heated before the pressures were adjusted, thereby breaching the stipulation laid out in the directive.

As a consequence, the FIA stewards ruled that Ferrari had contravened Article 30.5 a) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations. This article pertains to the handling of tyres and mandates strict compliance with specified operational procedures to maintain fair play and safety across all teams.

Despite the rule violation, the stewards acknowledged several mitigating factors in their final judgment. First, the incident occurred during a free practice session, which carries less competitive significance compared to qualifying or the race itself. Second, there was no indication that the breach resulted in any on-track advantage for Leclerc or compromised the safety of other drivers. Given these considerations, while Ferrari was found to be in breach of the rules, no significant sporting penalty was imposed.

The ruling serves as a reminder to all teams of the importance of adhering strictly to technical regulations, even during practice sessions. The FIA continues to maintain rigorous oversight to ensure fairness and safety in all aspects of Formula 1 competition.