Mechanic to blame for Yuki Tsunoda’s failed penalty at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
10th November 2025The FIA has confirmed a mechanic was the reason Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda failed to serve his 10-second time penalty correctly during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Tsunoda, who is driving to save his Formula 1 career, was handed two 10-second time penalties during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, having started at the bottom of the field after the team suffered a double Q1 knockout on Saturday’s qualifying session.
During the Sao Paulo GP, the initial 10-second time penalty was given to the Japanese driver as he was deemed ‘wholly responsible’ by the stewards in his collision with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll at turn eight, spinning the Canadian around.
Red Bull’s #22 car came into the pits during their planned pit stop sequence to complete their stop and to serve the penalty, but it was later deemed that the team had not served the time penalty correctly and was given a further 10-second time penalty.
It was later revealed that one of the Red Bull mechanics was to blame for Tsunoda’s penalty not being served. The stewards found the mechanic had begun to loosen the rear-left wheel nut on the #22 car.
In the steward’s report, they said:
“The Stewards reviewed video evidence which showed that Car 22 entered the pit lane to serve a 10-second time penalty.
“While the car was stationary for the purpose of serving the penalty, a mechanic immediately began working on the car by loosening the left rear wheel nut with a wheel gun before the 10 seconds had elapsed.
“Under Article 54.4 c) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, no work may be carried out on a car while a time penalty is being served. For the avoidance of doubt, any physical contact with the car, whether by hand, tool or equipment, constitutes “working” on the car.
“As the mechanic initiated work before the expiry of the penalty period, the penalty was not served correctly. The Stewards therefore impose an additional 10-second time penalty.”
Fortunately, the second time around, the team were able to serve Tsunoda’s time penalty correctly.
Following the contact on Stroll, and the subsequent 10-second time penalty, the Japanese driver was given 2 penalty points on his licence, totalling sevent points across 12 months.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- Lando Norris takes pole for Sao Paulo Grand Prix as Max Verstappen exits Q1
- Lando Norris wins Sao Paulo Grand Prix sprint as Oscar Piastri crashes
- Norris seals Sao Paulo GP sprint pole as Antonelli starts second
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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.
