FIA announce mandatory rule for F1 drivers at Dutch GP

The FIA have introduced a mandatory rule for all F1 drivers taking to the track this weekend for qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The championship returns to Zandvoort Circuit after the annual F1 summer break, where the stars of the 2025 grid are eager to kick off the second half of the season on a positive note.

And no driver is more keen on making an impression than Lando Norris, who, thanks to a victory at the Hungarian GP last time out, now sits just nine points behind team-mate and championship leader, Oscar Piastri.

Norris enjoyed a stellar weekend at the home track of reigning champion Max Verstappen this time last year, claiming pole position and the race victory ahead of the Dutchman in 2024.

The British racer also claimed the fastest lap in quali last year, posting a time of 1:09.673, and heading into this year's event, the sport's governing body have introduced a mandatory minimum speed that all drivers must adhere to.

An announcement from the FIA read: "In order to ensure that cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on any laps during and after the end of qualifying or during reconnaissance lap(s) when the pit exit is opened for the race, drivers must stay below 1:26.0 between the safety car lines shown on the pit lane drawing."

F1 stars on high alert over Dutch GP penalty risk

As a result of the announcement, all drivers will have to ensure they do not go slower than 1:26 per lap on Saturday at Zandvoort, with a potential penalty on the line should they drop below the minimum speed.

Most recently, the FIA summoned struggling Red Bull star Yuki Tsunoda to the stewards for ‘driving unnecessarily slowly’ in sprint qualifying at the Belgian GP and in the past, penalties have been issued for the same reason.

Four time-champion Verstappen even picked up a penalty point at the 2024 Qatar GP after the FIA deemed he had been driving too slowly on a cooldown lap during qualifying, and with nine points still attached to his name, he won't want to pick up any more this weekend.

But speed is very much at the centre of the weekend, is it F1 after all, with the FIA also announcing ahead of the Dutch GP that they had increased the pit-lane speed limit from 60 to 80 km/h in an effort to encourage a two-stop race strategy across the grid.

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