Sports Desk
04 October 2025, 01:07 PM IST
While unsafe releases are not uncommon in Formula 1, the stewards noted that this incident was particularly avoidable and posed a serious safety risk.
Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc drinks before the second practice session ahead of the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix | Photo: AFP
Ferrari has been handed a €10,000 fine following an incident during second practice in Singapore in which Charles Leclerc was unsafely released into the path of McLaren’s Lando Norris, resulting in a collision in the pit lane.
The stewards found Ferrari guilty of an unsafe release after Leclerc exited his garage just as Norris was passing through the fast lane, leading to contact between the two cars.
The McLaren driver sustained front wing damage, though no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred just before the session resumed for a second time, following an earlier red flag caused by Liam Lawson’s crash at Turn 17.
In their official statement, the stewards explained, “After a red flag period, several cars exited their garages. Car 16 (Leclerc) was initially instructed by a team member to leave his pit box. At that moment, however, it was overlooked that Car 4 (Norris) was already passing in the fast lane, approaching the Ferrari pit box and directly into the path of Leclerc. The team member, who was responsible for ensuring a safe release, misjudged the situation and gave unclear instructions to Leclerc, who could not see Norris’s car. As a result, both cars collided in the fast lane.”
While unsafe releases are not uncommon in Formula 1, the stewards noted that this incident was particularly avoidable and posed a serious safety risk. Taking into account previous incidents of a similar nature, they deemed that a more severe penalty was warranted.
Leclerc and Norris were both able to continue running in the session, though the collision briefly interrupted pit lane activity.
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