BREAKING: FIA Announces Penalty Verdict for Mercedes at Chinese Grand Prix After…read more
FIA Confirm Mercedes Penalty Verdict After Chinese Grand Prix Incident
The FIA have confirmed their verdict regarding a potential penalty involving Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli following an incident during sprint qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
The young Mercedes driver was investigated by race stewards after being accused of impeding Lando Norris during the SQ2 session on Friday. The incident occurred at Turn 1 of the Shanghai circuit, where Norris felt his flying lap had been compromised.
Norris, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, voiced his frustration over team radio, explaining that he had been preparing to push on that particular lap before encountering Antonelli’s car ahead.
However, after reviewing the footage and telemetry data, officials from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile determined that Antonelli had not deliberately impeded Norris and ruled that no further action would be taken.
The decision means the Mercedes rookie avoids any grid penalty or reprimand heading into the remainder of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
Mercedes had appeared competitive throughout the early running in Shanghai, with the Silver Arrows showing promising pace as they continue their push to challenge the front-runners during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The verdict provides relief for the team, allowing Antonelli to focus on building momentum during the race weekend without the distraction of disciplinary action.
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