FIA announce penalty verdict for Ferrari star after late Inv...

FIA announce penalty verdict for Ferrari star after late Inv… read more

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has avoided any penalty following a late-race incident with Williams driver Alex Albon during the 2025 Imola Grand Prix. The FIA confirmed the decision in an official statement, revealing that Leclerc’s choice to voluntarily give a position back to Albon was sufficient to resolve the issue without the need for a full investigation.

The incident occurred in the final stages of the race when Leclerc and Albon were battling for fourth place. Albon made a move to overtake the Ferrari driver but ended up being forced wide into the gravel at the exit of Turn 2. As a result of the off-track excursion, Albon lost momentum and was overtaken by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton then went on to pass Leclerc as well, moving into fourth position.

Shortly after the clash, Ferrari instructed Leclerc to hand the position back to Albon in a preemptive move to avoid a potential penalty for forcing another driver off the track. The FIA later confirmed that this action effectively resolved the situation.

In a statement, race stewards explained that they reviewed data from the positioning and marshalling system, in-car footage, timing data, and video replays. “It was alleged that car 16 [Leclerc] forced car 23 [Albon] off the track at the exit of Turn 2,” the statement read. “However, before we could conclude our investigations, car 16 voluntarily gave the position back to mitigate the alleged breach. In the circumstances, we took no further action.”

The quick decision by Leclerc and Ferrari to yield the position played a key role in preventing a more serious consequence. With the matter resolved, Leclerc was allowed to continue without any formal sanction.

The outcome meant that Leclerc ultimately finished sixth in the race, behind his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who had taken advantage of the incident to climb up the standings. Both Hamilton and Leclerc started from 11th and 12th on the grid respectively after a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari. Despite their poor starting positions, the pair delivered strong performances to recover and finish in the top six.

This incident highlights the growing trend of teams taking proactive measures during races to prevent regulatory penalties. By responding swiftly and complying with fair racing conduct, Ferrari ensured that Leclerc’s race result remained intact and avoided potential repercussions that could have affected their points haul in the championship.