Norris and Russell reprimanded and fined for aborted Brazil GP formation lap

McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell have been reprimanded for doing an extra formation lap, during an aborted start, at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Feature image credit: McLaren Racing 

Norris and Russell led the pack around the Brazilian Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, more commonly known as Interlagos, but Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll found himself beached in the gravel at turn four which resulted in an aborted start. 

As the track marshals needed to extract Stroll’s stranded Aston Martin, the race director had invoked an aborted start of which the drivers should remain in their grid boxes. However, both Norris and Russell went out for a second formation lap. 

The stewards, who were accompanied by the team representatives and reviewed video evidence, explained that Norris assumed the signal to be ‘an extra formation lap.’

As a result, the race director believed – for practical reasons – to allow the rest of the pack to complete another formation lap before following the correct aborted lap procedure. 

The stewards believed Norris ‘precipitated’ the action of the drivers behind him, who all had completed an additional formation lap, as such they reprimanded both Norris and Russell, fining each driver €5,000. They said:

“The FIA Formula One Race Director initiated the Aborted Start procedure indicating that the drivers should not leave the grid. This message was necessary as there was a car off track in Turn 4 (STR) that needed to be recovered. 

“Although the signal was appropriately given the light panel illuminated as prescribed, and the teams notified by the messaging system, the driver left the grid and proceeded on a lap that he assumed to be an extra formation lap. 

“As the driver was on the front row of the grid this triggered following drivers to take similar action.”

Potential problems for Lando Norris 👀

Race Control called for an “Aborted Start” following Stroll’s crash during the first formation lap which means that Norris and everyone else behind should have stayed put on the grid#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/gDdxxha6eH

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 3, 2024

“At some point the Race Director realizing that for practical reasons all cars would now need to do an extra formation lap gave an instruction to the teams for all cars to proceed and return to the grid to follow the correct aborted start procedure. 

“In the opinion of the stewards the driver NOR precipitated the action of the drivers on the grid directly behind him.”

As a result, even though Norris was predominantly to blame for the incident, the stewards reprimanded both Norris and Russell, fining both drivers €5,000. 

Despite this, the two Visa Cash App RB drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson were also noted for the same infringement. Although they went through with another formation lap, the stewards deemed no further action was appropriate for the two VCARB drivers. 

They deemed Norris remained predominantly at fault as he was the driver ahead of them and the McLaren influenced their act to move off during the aborted start. 

For both Tsunoda and Lawson, the stewards concluded:

“In the opinion of the Stewards although the driver breached the regulation this was influenced by the driver ahead of him [Tsunoda and Lawson] and as such he was not predominately responsible for the breach. 

“As such the stewards decide to take no further action having held the driver [Tsunoda and Lawson] immediately ahead of him at fault.”

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Mercedes fined €10,000 total for Brazil GP technical infringement
• Verstappen storms from P17 to win Brazil GP as Alpine take double podium
• Williams Racing withdraw Alex Albon from Brazil GP
• Sainz to start from pit lane for Brazil GP after qualifying crash
• Lando Norris takes pole in five-car crash Brazil GP qualifying
• FIA provide update after postponement of Brazil GP qualifying

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.