The FIA stewards clarified that they could not be lenient with Charles Leclerc because the technical violation involved a “black and white” rule regarding car specifications.
While Ferrari argued the error was a minor procedural mistake, officials maintained that any breach of technical legality must result in a standard penalty to ensure fairness.
The investigation revealed that the car did not meet the required weight or fuel flow measurements at a specific point during the post-race inspection.
Stewards emphasized that unlike sporting incidents where “intent” can be considered, technical infringements leave no room for discretion or alternative warnings.
Leclerc’s disqualification or time penalty serves as a reminder to all teams that even the smallest oversight in the garage can lead to heavy losses on the leaderboard.
The decision has sparked debate in the paddock about whether technical penalties should be more proportional to the competitive advantage gained, or remain strictly binary.
