BREAKING: FIA Announce Late Penalties as Miami GP After…read more

Late Penalties Shake Up Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race Results

A flurry of post-race penalties issued by the FIA has significantly altered the results of Saturday’s dramatic sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix. The governing body announced the punishments after the checkered flag, impacting three drivers who had initially finished within the points-scoring positions.

The sprint race at the Miami International Autodrome was already eventful, even before it officially began, with Charles Leclerc’s pre-race crash due to heavy rain. However, the drama continued after the race concluded as stewards investigated several incidents.

Ultimately, three drivers faced penalties that cost them championship points. Williams driver Alex Albon, who initially finished in an impressive fourth place, was handed a five-second penalty for failing to stay above the minimum time set by the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) under the safety car. This demoted him to 11th place, outside the points.

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson also received a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. The incident resulted in Alonso spinning out and triggering a late safety car. Alonso ultimately did not finish the sprint, marking his third DNF (Did Not Finish) of the season. Lawson’s penalty pushed him down from seventh to 13th.

The final penalty was given to Haas rookie Ollie Bearman. He was penalized five seconds for an unsafe release from the pit lane, which forced Nico Hulkenberg in the Sauber to swerve to avoid a collision. Bearman’s penalty dropped him from the final points-paying position of eighth down to 14th.

As a result of these late decisions by the FIA stewards, the final classification of the Miami Grand Prix sprint race has been significantly revised, with several drivers gaining positions and those penalized losing valuable championship points.