Double penalty for Liam Lawson in FP1 in Jeddah

Liam Lawson received a formal warning followed by a reprimand during the first free practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The New Zealander crossed the painted area separating the pit lane from the track twice, thus violating the explicit directives of the race director.

1st offense: warning

According to the commissioners’ report, the first infraction occurred at 16:44 when Lawson crossed the line marking the pit entry. They reviewed positioning data, videos, and radio communications before ruling. For this first offense, they decided to issue a mere warning, considering that the context of free practice did not warrant a harsher penalty.

In the preliminary notes for the event, race director Rui Marques had clearly stipulated that no part of the tire should cross this line, regardless of the direction. This rule is stated in point 13.4 of document 2, and non-compliance constitutes a violation of article 12.2.1 i) of the International Sporting Code, which penalizes non-compliance with officials’ instructions for safety and the proper conduct of the event.

2nd infraction: reprimand

Only seven minutes later, at 4:51 p.m., Lawson once again crossed into the prohibited zone. This repeat offense resulted in him being summoned before the stewards, who this time issued a reprimand, the first of the 2025 season for the New Zealand driver.

The commissioners noted in their decision that the team did not warn Lawson after the first infraction, despite the notification from race management. At least three laps had passed between the two incidents, during which the team could have reminded the driver of the prevailing prohibition.

During the hearing, a team representative confirmed this deliberate omission: « He explained that the team chose not to alert the driver because he was on a fast lap, and the second infringement had already occurred before they finally informed him, once back in the garage. », cites the decision report.

The commissioners, however, considered that, regardless of the team’s decision, Lawson should have been aware of the instructions. While reprimands in free practice do not have a direct impact on the race, they can influence the commissioners’ attitude in the event of a recurrence in subsequent sessions.

For Lawson, this is his first reprimand this season. The Formula 1 regulations allow up to four reprimands per driver within a single season. Beyond that, starting from the fifth reprimand, the driver is penalized with a ten-place grid drop for the next race, provided that at least four of these sanctions were issued for driving infractions.