Red Bull were fined €50,000 (£43,400) after the United States Grand Prix for entering the grid during the formation lap, having attempted to remove tape which guided Lando Norris’s start procedure.
Half of the fine, €25,000, was suspended, provided that Red Bull do not repeat the offence for the remainder of the season.
It’s understood that their wrongdoing was not attempting to remove the tape itself — given that is not covered by FIA rules — but in re-entering the grid during the formation lap.
Verstappen, second from left, clinched victory in Austin ahead of Norris, left, who finished second
CLIVE ROSE/GETTY IMAGES
The stewards report read: “A team member re-entered the gate well area at Gate 1 in proximity of the second grid position after the formation lap had commenced and at the moment the pit marshals started to close the gate. According to the report from the pit marshals the team member did not appear to react to their efforts to prevent him from entering the gate well area.”
The Red Bull team representative told stewards that their staff member was not aware of the marshals attempting to stop him.
Regardless, the stewards judged that “hindering or delaying the process of closing the gates before the race start must be considered as an unsafe act”.
Norris has used the tape, placed by his team, on barriers at the side of the start-finish straight, to help him correctly position his McLaren on the grid. The view from the car itself is limited and it can be difficult to judge whether drivers are correctly positioned in their grid box from the cockpit.
Before the ruling was made, Laurent Mekies, the Red Bull team principal, said: “We went to see the video with the FIA. Sure, it’s something we can do better in the future, but certainly on our side we do not feel that we have ignored any instructions and we did not get any specific instructions.
“I think it’s very small things, but nonetheless something we will address in the future.”