Lando Norris has been given a reprimand for driving erratically under Safety Car conditions.

While following the Safety Car, Norris approached Turn 1 behind a group of cars. Russell) had stopped with a mechanical problem ahead of Turn 1, which caused the cars ahead of Norris to slow down.

The McLaren driver explained to the stewards that, due to the low sun and resulting visibility conditions, it was difficult to recognise that the cars ahead had started to slow earlier than would normally have been expected. Norris consequently misjudged his closing speed and approached the cars ahead too quickly. When he realised this, he braked heavily and deliberately steered to the left, onto the kerbs and then into the gravel bed in order to avoid contact with the cars ahead.

By driving onto the kerbs, Norris had reduced grip available for braking, which further limited his ability to slow the car. In doing so, he momentarily overshot Oscar Piastri, who was directly ahead of him.

The stewards considered whether this constituted an overtake while the Safety Car was deployed.

Although Norris momentarily moved ahead of his teammate, this occurred solely as a consequence of the 2025 world champion leaving the track while taking avoiding action.

Piastri immediately repassed Norris while he was off the track. The stewards therefore determined that this did not constitute an overtaking manoeuvre and took no further action in respect of this aspect of the incident.

The stewards also considered that, particularly while driving behind the Safety Car, Norris should have managed the gap to the cars ahead and his closing speed with greater care. The prevailing visibility conditions were circumstances which he should have taken into account when determining an appropriate speed and gap to the cars ahead, rather than a reason which excused the resulting driving.

The need for heavy braking and an avoiding manoeuvre into the gravel demonstrated that Norris had not maintained an appropriate margin in the circumstances.

The stewards therefore determined that Norris had driven erratically in breach of Article B5.13.2a of the FIA F1 Regulations.

Such a situation should not arise while driving behind the Safety Car, and Norris was required to maintain a sufficient margin to the cars ahead. However, taking into account that he reacted promptly once he recognised the situation and successfully avoided contact, the stewards consider a reprimand as appropriate.

The stewards separately considered his return to the track. Although Lance Stroll was in relative close proximity, Norris returned progressively and without requiring the Canadian to take avoiding action or otherwise creating an unsafe situation. The stewards therefore determined that the re-join was safe.

The stewards also reviewed whether, after having re-joined the track, Norris had overtaken Stroll while the Safety Car was deployed. The video evidence showed that, as he returned from the gravel, he had already crossed the white line with at least one wheel and, as such, was back on track. At this point, he was ahead of Stroll and at no point did he pass the Aston Martin. Rather, Stroll approached Norris while he was already in the process of returning to the track.

The stewards therefore determined that Norris had not overtaken Stroll under Safety Car conditions and as such also took no further action for this part of the incident.

Accordingly, the stewards impose a reprimand on Norris for erratic driving, while no further action was taken in relation to the re-join or the alleged overtake while the Safety Car was deployed.

In another incident, on the approach to the pit entry, Alex Albon reduced his speed, causing Oscar Piastri, who was following closely behind, to brake and take avoiding action. No collision or contact
occurred.

Albon explained that immediately before entering the pit entry road he became aware that he was below the required delta time and therefore reduced his speed in order to comply with the applicable delta requirement.

Piastri confirmed, having heard Albon's explanation, that he considered the reason for the Williams driver's actions understandable.

While the situation required a significant reaction from the Australian and could potentially have developed into a dangerous situation, the stewards were satisfied that Albon's actions were taken in an attempt to comply with the applicable delta requirements and explained the otherwise unusual reduction in speed at that location. His actions, therefore, did not constitute erratic or unnecessarily dangerous driving in the circumstances.

Having considered the matter extensively, the stewards determined that no infringement occurred and accordingly took no further action.

Finally, during Nico Hulkenberg's pit stop, the automated release system initially displayed a green light after all four wheel guns had been removed from the wheel nuts and the respective mechanics had activated the release system.

However, a mechanic was still in front of the car near the left-front wheel after having adjusted the front wing.

Audi explained that its release procedure incorporates an additional manual safety check by a controller. When the responsible team member observed that the mechanic was still in front of the left-front wheel, the release signal was immediately changed back to red.

Hulkenberg initially began to move away from the pit stop position in response to the green light. However, he immediately recognised that the light went back to red as the mechanic was still in front of the car and reacted promptly by stopping the car before it had fully left the pit stop position.

The stewards considered whether the initial green signal itself constituted an unsafe release. Article B1.6.2 defines when a car is deemed to have been released from its Designated Pit Stop Position. The relevant point is when the rear axle has passed the position previously occupied by the front axle while the car was stationary in its Designated Pit Stop Position.

Accordingly, although the initial green signal was given prematurely and created an unsafe situation, the car was not "released" within the meaning of Article B1.6.2 while that situation existed. The Stewards therefore determined that no unsafe release occurred.

In this case, although the initial green signal was given prematurely, the team's backup safety procedure operated as intended and the signal was returned to red before the car had been released from its pit stop position. Nevertheless, the automatic premature green signal created an unsafe situation.

While the stewards determined that the circumstances did not constitute an unsafe release, the premature green signal nevertheless created an unsafe situation involving a team mechanic. The stewards therefore imposed a fine of €30,000 on Audi, of which €20,000 is suspended for the remainder of the 2026 season, subject to there being no further similar infringements.

The substantial suspended element is intended to encourage the German team to review and, where necessary, improve its release procedures so as to prevent a recurrence of such an unsafe situation.