A heavy penalty looms for Red Bull as the FIA stewards open an investigation – Red Bull Racing is under scrutiny again after the United States Grand Prix. The FIA stewards have launched an investigation into a potential breach of the International Sporting Code, and the team is required to appear before officials in Austin.

While the exact nature of the infraction remains unclear, early reports suggest that it involves a safety violation on the grid. Notably, Max Verstappen’s race win and championship hopes appear unaffected by the matter.

 

Possible breach of grid regulations

Verstappen dominated the race at the Circuit of the Americas, securing yet another victory with a commanding performance. However, post-race proceedings took an unexpected turn when the stewards issued a statement indicating that Red Bull Racing may have disregarded instructions given by race officials.

According to the preliminary findings, the issue may have involved a team member stepping onto the grid area during the formation lap, which would constitute a direct violation of safety protocols.

If confirmed, such an action would be considered a serious safety concern. FIA regulations clearly state that, once the formation lap begins, all personnel must remain behind the designated white lines for their own safety and that of the drivers. Crossing this boundary at that stage of the event is strictly prohibited.

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Potential consequences for Red Bull

While the investigation is ongoing, the likely outcomes appear to be limited to a heavy financial penalty or a formal reprimand.

The stewards have not suggested that the breach is connected to a specific car, so neither Max Verstappen nor Yuki Tsunoda is expected to face sporting consequences such as time penalties or disqualification.

For Red Bull, this situation is more of an administrative setback than a sporting one. Nevertheless, the FIA is becoming increasingly strict about enforcing procedural compliance, particularly with regard to on-grid conduct. Even minor lapses can attract scrutiny as the governing body continues its push for higher safety standards across all Formula 1 operations.

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This is an unusual type of investigation

Incidents of this nature are relatively rare in Formula 1. Teams usually adhere closely to grid protocols, and breaches involving personnel movements are rarely reported. This investigation highlights how seriously the FIA treats even minor deviations from established procedures, given their potential safety implications during high-pressure moments, such as the start of a Grand Prix.

Although Red Bull may not face severe sporting repercussions, this episode serves as a reminder of how tightly regulated Formula 1 has become. Every detail, from car components to staff positioning, is governed by strict rules designed to ensure fairness and safety.

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The focus remains on Verstappen’s dominance

Despite the off-track controversy, his performance in Austin reaffirmed Verstappen’s position at the forefront of the championship fight.

His fifth win of the season came with his usual composure and pace, extending his strong run of form. For now, the Dutchman and Red Bull will keep their focus on the remaining rounds of the season while awaiting the FIA’s final decision on the investigation.

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MORE F1 NEWS – How the wheels came off McLaren’s title charge

Just five race weekends ago, Oscar Piastri was riding high and looked nailed on to claim the 2025 Formula One drivers’ championship. In fact after the Grand Prix in Zandvoort, The Australian driver was 104 points ahead of Max Verstappen and 34 points in front of his team mate Lando Norris.

Now with six Grand Prix remaining the picture looks very different. Verstappen has almost halved the gap to Piastri which stands at 55 points before the US Grand Prix, where the championship leader will start from a lowly sixth place. Further he is just 22 points behind Lando Norris who lines up alongside Verstappen on the front row of the grid in Austin, but Norris was 3/10ths behind the world champion after two runs in Q3, despite Verstappen failing to make the start/finish line in time to begin his second push lap in the session.

McLaren’s usual calm, collected leadership lost the plot yesterday when a turn one incident took out both of their cars at the start of the Sprint. Zak Brown reacted hastily calling it “amateur hour”, blaming Nico Hulkenberg for failing to utilise his years of experience.

 

McLaren management too quick to apportion blame

Andrea Stella refused to mention names, but insisted that “certain drivers” should have shown “more prudence”, something he repeated more than once in his frustration. Yet the replays clearly showed it was Oscar Piastri who caused the turn one chaos by his lack of experience when he practically stopped his car in turn one to attempt the cut back on his team mate.

Firstly the move was pointless give Norris had not run too deep and it would have left Piastri on the outside coming into the right hander of turn two. Secondly, there were always going to be cars on the Aussie’s inside given the high width of turn one at the Circuit of the Americas and his 180 degree steering lock manoeuvre left Hulkenmberg nowhere to go.

Zack Brown was later challenged over his initial views, admitting he couldn’t “put this one on Hulk.” Yet having punished Norris for his slight touch on his team mate in Singapore, questions will inevitably arise about how the team will now deal with Piastri. The mysterious “consequences” the team announced Lando would suffer on Saturday’s for the remainder of the…READ MORE ON THIS STORY