What is the most extreme punishment ever in F1?
Formula 1 has handed some huge fines over the years for some shocking acts.
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Max Verstappen [L] Lewis Hamilton [C], Michael Schumacher [R] (images via IMAGO)
Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. Drivers and teams must abide by the rules and regulations of the sport. Interestingly, these regulations led to the term ‘Formula 1.’ The word Formula refers to the rules that govern the championship, with ‘1’ referring to the top category in international motorsport. Subsequently, it is necessary that all competitors follow the sport’s regulations.
F1 regulations have changed drastically over the sport’s long history. The current ground-effect guidelines are perhaps the most comprehensive set of rules ever seen at the pinnacle of motorsport. Rules not only dictate the technical aspects such as aerodynamics and power units, but also include the sporting regulations to prohibit any foul play.
However, F1 teams and drivers are one of the most competitive in the world. As such, teams are always trying to find loopholes in the rules to gain an advantage over their rivals. This includes aerodynamics and other elements such as the infamous double diffuser in 2009 or even in terms of strategy. Although teams could face major penalties from the FIA. A notable example is Racing Point’s points deduction for using illegal rear brake ducts in 2020.
Also Read: Who has led the most consecutive laps in F1?
Top 5 extreme punishments in F1
5. Aston Martin Cost Cap Breach (2022)
Formula 1 put the long-awaited hard cost cap in place in 2021. All F1 teams were restricted to spending $140,000,000 cap for the entire season. Although this figure excluded some expenditures including driver salaries. In 2022, the FIA revealed that Aston Martin was one of the two teams that had breached the cost cap. However, this was termed as a ‘procedural breach.’
The Silverstone-based team was found to have inaccurately adjusted/or calculated its expenditure. Subsequently, Lawrence Stroll’s team was given a hefty $450,000 as per the Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA). Aston Martin agreed to pay the fine alongside relevant costs to the FIA.
4. Ferrari team orders (2002)
Rubens Barrichello was on course to take the win at the 2002 Austrian GP. However, the Brazilian driver was soon instructed by Ferrari to swap places with second-placed Michael Schumacher. An upset Barrichello obliged and gave way to the German as they crossed the chequered flag. However, Schumacher changed places with his teammate on the podium to avoid public anger.
Scuderia Ferrari received a massive fine of $1 million from the World Motor Sport Council. Surprisingly, it was Michael Schumacher’s decision to let Rubens Barrichello stand on the top step of the podium that was cited as the reason for this penalty. Moreover, team orders were banned in Formula 1 to avoid such an incident in the future.
3. Turkish GP organisers (2006)
The only penalty on this list that was not imposed on a team or a driver. Instead in 2006, the FIA fined the organisers of the Turkish GP. During that year’s event, Felipe Massa won the race for Ferrari. The Brazilian driver was presented with the trophy by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. However, Ali Talat was introduced as “the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
This was a deeply political issue as Turkish Cyprus continues to be seen as an illegitimate state that is controlled by Turkey on the island of Cyprus. Then-FIA President Max Mosley believed that this went against F1’s stance of political neutrality. The World Motor Sport Council called a hearing for this incident with officials from Turkey’s national sporting authority as well as race organisers being summoned.
Ultimately, the FIA issued a $5 million fine which was at that point the largest in the sport’s history. Turkey’s Istanbul Park circuit remained on the F1 calendar till 2011. Although, the pinnacle of motorsport raced on the track once again in 2020 and 2021.
2. Red Bull Cost Cap Breach (2022)
Red Bull Racing came out on top with the start of the ground-effect era in 2022. However, the Milton Keynes-based team soon got caught in controversy. As the FIA revealed that Red Bull had breached the cost cap in 2021. Although, the Austrian team was found guilty of a ‘Minor Overspend Breach’ of just under $2.3 million or roughly a 1.6% overspend.
Christian Horner’s team was believed to have incorrectly made adjustments in its calculations, including catering costs and maintenance. Moreover, the breach would have been reduced drastically if a tax credit had been applied correctly. Red Bull was given a fine of $7 Million and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel testing for 2023.
However, rival teams believed that a harsher penalty should’ve been imposed on Milton Keynes. It was alleged that Red Bull’s breach allowed the team to gain a massive advantage with the sport’s new regulations and even propelled Max Verstappen to title victory in 2021.
Honorable Mention – Crashgate
Unlike other penalties on this list, the infamous Crashgate scandal did not lead to massive fines for the culprit team, Renault F1. Nevertheless, it remains one of the biggest controversies in the sport’s history. Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed in the early stages of the 2008 Singapore GP. This allowed Fernando Alonso to capitalize on his race strategy and take his first and only win of the season.
Almost a year later, Piquet confessed that he was instructed to deliberately crash by his team. The World Motor Sport Council found Renault guilty of the charges. The French team was given a suspended disqualification from the championship. Team’s Managing Director Flavio Briatore was banned indefinitely from the sport with Renault’s Director of Engineering receiving a five-year ban. Moreover, Renault faced massive financial repercussions as title sponsor ING left the team.
This incident has now been brought up once again by Felipe Massa. The Brazilian driver has taken on a legal fight against F1 and the FIA to overturn the 2008 title results after Bernie Ecclestone admitted to having knowledge about the scandal that year itself.
1. McLaren Spygate (2007)
The biggest scandal in the history of Formula 1 is Spygate. In 2007, it was found that McLaren was in possession of confidential design documents of the 2007 Ferrari F2007 challenger. Interestingly, a staff member at a photocopying shop identified these documents when the wife of a McLaren employee had asked for copies of the same. The staff member immediately contacted Scuderia Ferrari’s Maranello base.
A massive investigation was undertaken by the sports governing body. Former Ferrari employee Nigel Stepney was found to be the person delivering such information to McLaren’s Mike Coughlan. This allowed the Woking-based team to have detailed information about its rival’s car with both teams fighting for the 2007 F1 championship.
The FIA did not penalize McLaren drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton as the two were unaware of this activity at the team. Allegedly then-F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone convinced Max Mosley to not disqualify the two drivers from the championship. However, it was McLaren that faced the brunt of this scandal. the British team faced an enormous $100 Million fine and was disqualified from the Constructors’ championship.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)