FIA fine for Red Bull won't stop F1 tricks claims ex-McLaren mechanic

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FIA fine for Red Bull won't stop F1 tricks claims ex-McLaren mechanic

Red Bull were caught in some gamesmanship at the US GP

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 25 October 2025 19:25

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A former F1 mechanic for McLaren has claimed that the FIA’s fine for Red Bull won’t stop similar tricks after the team interfered with their rival’s grid tape at the United States Grand Prix.

During the formation lap in Austin, a Red Bull team member re-entered the gate well area as the pit marshals started to close the gate, despite the marshals' protestations.

The team member tried to remove a big piece of tape on the pit wall, which was in place to guide Lando Norris into his grid position at the start of the US GP.

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Red Bull were fined €50,000 (£43,500), although the rules do not forbid teams from adding markers to trackside furniture for these purposes or forbid other teams from removing them, with the punishment instead issued for ignoring the rules of the marshal.

According to former McLaren mechanic Gary Anderson, these types of tricks have been going on for a long time in F1, and he said to The Race: “This type of skulduggery has always gone on. Not that it’s something I would ever do.”

Norris and Verstappen responds to tape saga

Autosport also learnt that McLaren have taken a number of steps to prevent the sabotage, including the use of tape made with a material that leaves a mark when the tape is removed.

At the Singapore GP, it had reportedly left a mark under the tape along with the phrase ‘better luck next time’.

When questioned on the tape saga at the Mexican GP, McLaren’s Norris said: “I didn't use the tape. So it was extra amusing because I didn't need it. We just put it there in case, so it made it extra funny because they got a penalty for it and I didn't even need it.

"They also tried to remove it and failed because we made it special, so they couldn't take it off either. So it was just amusing. Little side quests, I guess, for the teams to entertain themselves. But we were the ones laughing about it."

Discussing the gamesmanship, Max Verstappen added: “This is just a little silly thing that has been going on for a while.”

"It's not something that I actually pay a lot of attention to as well because I'm focused on my own parking in the box."

"I guess in Austin, it took a bit longer for whatever reason that… the gate closed, if he [the team member] was instructed, or not, in the right way to stay out of it, I think it's quite clear how the stewards explained it, so I think that is quite understandable.

"Then you get fined for that. It doesn't even have anything to do with the tape. You can't hold up the procedure of closing the gate."

F1 FIA United States Grand Prix