F1 Drivers Penalized for Pit Lane Speeding by 0.1 km/h and Driving Too Slowly

The FIA stewards issued two five-second penalties after the Canadian Grand Prix, emphasizing the strict enforcement of the sporting regulations. Valtteri Bottas was penalized for exceeding the pit lane speed limit by a fraction, while Gabriel Bortoleto was hit with the same penalty for driving too slowly during a Virtual Safety Car period.

Why it matters:

• The penalties underscore the FIA's zero-tolerance approach to the regulations. A marginal breach of 0.1 km/h carries the same penalty as a much larger violation, and drivers can even be penalized for going too slow, proving that millimeter-perfect precision is required at all times.

The details:

• Bottas' 0.1 km/h breach: The Cadillac driver was recorded at 80.1 km/h in an 80 km/h pit lane zone. The FIA regulations contain no tolerance, making the 5-second penalty automatic.
• Bortoleto's VSC infraction: The Audi Revolut F1 Team driver exceeded his VSC delta time in multiple mini-sectors, meaning he was traveling below the required minimum pace.
• No race impact: Neither penalty altered the final classifications. Bortoleto remained 13th, and Bottas stayed 16th without scoring points.

What's next:

While neither driver suffered a points loss this time, the strict application of the rules serves as a clear reminder to the grid. As the season progresses, teams and drivers must ensure absolute precision in both pit lane speeds and VSC deltas to avoid costly penalties in tighter midfield battles.