Six Formula 2 drivers start the 2025 season with a grid penalty
For the two opening races of the season taking place this weekend in Melbourne, six Formula 2 drivers have been penalized with a 10-place grid drop.
Jak Crawford and Kush Maini from DAMS, Max Esterson and Sami Meguetounif from Trident, as well as Amaury Cordeel and Alex Dunne from Rodin all received the same penalty.
The FIA sanctioned these teams after learning about prohibited modifications on their test car. They had installed sensors to collect data. Violations were observed during testing at the Catalonia circuit last month. Maini and Meguetounif were penalized, as the stewards determined that the information collected on their teammates’ cars gave the entire team an advantage.
The punishment is harsh.
Teams will have to pay a fine of €10,000 for each infraction. For example, Rodin received a €20,000 fine. The stewards also made the unusual decision to advise the Formula 2 technical delegate to impose additional sanctions on the four modified vehicles to eliminate any potential benefit.
The commissioners detailed the reasons for their severe penalties: « The collection of this data from pressure sensors in the external airflow could be used to correlate with the chassis manufacturer’s data to gather more information on the car’s aerodynamic performance under on-track circumstances with different configurations. Previously, teams had requested this authorization from the technical delegate and it had been denied to them. » In each case, the team « installed sensors by modifying a standard part », noted the commissioners. « It is impossible for the commissioners to know how long and how much data has been collected », they added.
In addition to the penalties and fines outlined in the grid, the stewards have recommended to the technical director to limit participation in the next test in Bahrain to the four cars that have undergone modifications: those of Crawford, Esterson, and the DAMS team.
The sports officials strongly encourage the technical delegate to issue a technical notice for the Bahrain tests, giving teams the opportunity to request permission to use sensors throughout the tests. The sports commissioners recommend the technical delegate to reject the request from [Rodin/DAMS/Trident].
The Formula 2 championship is based on a single chassis and engine. The chassis manufacturer provides aerodynamic information to all teams. The technical regulations specifically limit how external airflow can be measured. According to the regulations, user manuals or a technical bulletin, the modification of a standard component is only allowed if it complies with these documents. It is forbidden to modify a part to add a sensor (including the air pressure transmission tube and the sensor itself).
