Unclear instructions, collision in the pit lane, €10,000 fine: Ferrari comes under scrutiny from the FIA after practice in Singapore
The stewards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) found Ferrari guilty of causing an “unsafe release” in the second free practice session for the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix. They imposed a fine of €10,000.
The traditional Formula 1 team had allowed Charles Leclerc to turn into the fast lane of the pit lane, even though Lando Norris in the McLaren was already in that lane. This resulted in a collision, which pushed Norris into the wall and damaged his front wing.
This is how the stewards justified their decision
The sports commissioners’ ruling states: “Leclerc was instructed to leave his garage. In doing so, […] Norris was overlooked. The team member responsible misjudged the situation and gave Leclerc unclear instructions. Leclerc was unable to see Norris. This led to the collision in the fast lane.”
Normally, the penalty is €5,000, but this time the stewards decided on a harsher penalty. Their reasoning: “Based on several precedents, we have come to the conclusion that a more severe penalty must be imposed in this case.”
The penalty is based on Article 34.14 a) of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. It states: “Cars must not be released from the garage or pit stop position in such a way that they could endanger personnel in the pit lane or another driver or damage another car.”
What Ferrari driver Leclerc says about the incident
Even before the verdict was announced, Leclerc had commented on the incident with Norris on Sky. He said: “There was a bit of confusion when the two McLarens came out, because it looked like they were going to start at the same time.”
“My mechanic thought they would come out a little slower, and I didn’t get the instruction to stop. In situations like this, you rely on the team to a certain extent,” Leclerc explained.
However, he couldn’t blame his team for this: “These things happen. It wasn’t easy because everyone was in a hurry to get a few more laps in after the red flags. It was a combination of different factors—things like this shouldn’t happen, but they do.”
Chadwick defends Leclerc
Three-time W Series champion and Williams squad driver Jamie Chadwick defended Leclerc in an interview with Sky: “Charles really couldn’t do anything here. He can’t see the cars approaching. You are completely dependent on the person who sends you out of the garage. As soon as they say it’s clear, you drive off,” explained Chadwick.
Nevertheless, she said the situation seemed “super clumsy” to her and was primarily the team’s fault. She also called for a “stronger deterrent” than just a relatively small fine. “Because if Charles had collided with him on the track, he would probably have been penalized for the rest of the weekend.”
