Audi lodge appeal against Yuki Tsunoda for alleged Italian Grand Prix breach
14th November 2026Audi have lodged an appeal against Yuki Tsunoda for causing an extra formation lap at the Italian Grand Prix, the FIA confirms.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
The FIA has confirmed that Audi have lodged an appeal against the steward’s decision regarding Tsunoda, who had temporarily replaced Liam Lawson for a three-race stint, covering the Dutch, Italian and Spanish Grand Prix.
In the second event, Tsunoda made a mistake at the restart, following a red-flag stoppage after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed early on in the race. This is the issue Audi is appealing.
Tsunoda was approaching the grid on the left hand side, but when the Japanese driver realised he was going to the wrong grid slot, he diverted to the correct grid box. His car was found to be in the correct grid box and within the correct position, which the stewards verified.
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According to the stewards decision, Document 69, the race director had opted to complete another formation lap as ‘he was not comfortable starting the race with the car in that position.’
While the stewards deemed the extra formation lap was not caused by Tsunoda, and was done on the assessment of the race director, Audi lodged an appeal, believing he was the cause and should have started from the pit lane as per the sporting regulations.
Under Article B5.9.4, of the Sporting Regulations, any driver that causes an extra formation lap should start from the pit lane. The regulations state:
“Any driver who caused an extra formation lap, and is then able to start the, or any subsequent, extra formation lap must enter the Pit Lane at the end of the lap and must start the TTCS from the end of the Pit Lane as specified in B5.3.”
As Tsunoda did not start from the pit lane, Audi believe the Japanese driver should have been issued with a stop-and-go penalty.
The appeal will take place on November 25 at 9am, in Paris.
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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.
