Breaking: FIA announce MULTIPLE penalties at chaotic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix….read more
FIA Hands Out Multiple Penalties in Chaotic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The Formula 1 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit was anything but uneventful, with the FIA issuing a flurry of penalties following a dramatic start to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A combination of false starts, collisions, and track infringements kept race officials busy, as drivers faced a mix of time penalties, penalty points, and grid drops.
The action began as soon as the lights went out, with Zhou Guanyu of Kick Sauber penalized for a false start. Zhou was handed a five-second time penalty for breaching Article 48.1 a) of the Formula One Sporting Regulations, setting the tone for what would be a penalty-heavy race.
The first corner added to the chaos as reigning world champion Max Verstappen collided with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri while battling at the front of the field. The Red Bull driver was found at fault and was given a 10-second time penalty, along with two penalty points on his super license. Despite the setback, Verstappen’s pace ensured he remained competitive throughout the race.
Elsewhere on the track, more incidents unfolded during the opening laps. Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas collided with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez at turn six, forcing Perez to retire and prompting a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). The FIA deemed Bottas responsible and issued a 10-second penalty along with two penalty points. Later in the race, Bottas made contact with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, leading to a further penalty of a five-place grid drop for the next race and an additional three penalty points. However, with Bottas currently without a confirmed seat for 2025, it remains uncertain whether he will ever serve the grid penalty.
Oscar Piastri also found himself in further trouble after his earlier clash with Verstappen. As the McLaren rookie worked his way back through the field, he caused a collision with Williams’ Franco Colapinto, who subsequently retired on lap 28 due to engine failure. The FIA handed Piastri a 10-second penalty and two penalty points for the incident.
The most severe penalty of the race went to Liam Lawson of Visa Cash App Red Bull (VCARB). During a pit stop, Lawson’s car was released back onto the track unsafely, with one wheel appearing loose. The FIA deemed this a serious safety breach and imposed a 10-second stop/go penalty on the team.
Track limits were another hot topic during the race, with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll receiving a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits on multiple occasions. Stroll’s penalty was one of the less contentious decisions in an afternoon dominated by more dramatic infractions.
The flurry of penalties underlined the high-stakes nature of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as teams and drivers pushed the limits in the final race of the season. The FIA’s decisive action ensured that breaches of the regulations were appropriately addressed, though the chaotic nature of the race left many wondering if some of the incidents could have been avoided altogether.
As the 2024 Formula 1 season concludes, attention now turns to 2025, where the fallout from these penalties, especially grid drops and penalty points, may still influence the starting grids in the early rounds.
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