FIA announce F1 investigation verdict on Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli at Canadian Grand Prix

Photo: © IMAGO

Canadian Grand Prix

FIA announce investigation verdict on Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli at Canadian Grand Prix

Antonelli was going...too slowly? That can't be right

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Saturday 23 May 2026 19:56

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It's always teenagers getting in trouble for little things, isn't it?

Kimi Antonelli got summoned to the stewards at the Canadian Grand Prix on Friday evening to answer for something he's rarely been accused of this year: going too slowly.

The Mercedes driver fell foul of a rule which drivers are warned about before every qualifying session, regarding the maximum time they can take to complete their non-timed laps, in order to avoid comical traffic jams on track.

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This weekend, that warning read: "In order to ensure that cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on any laps during and after the end of Sprint Qualifying, Qualifying or during reconnaissance lap(s) when the pit lane is open for the Sprint or the Race, drivers must stay below 1:22.0 between the Safety Car lines shown on the pit lane drawing."

Of course, too slow on his cool-down/warm-up laps or not, Antonelli still took pole.

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Stewards issue Antonelli ruling

While the stewards often note drivers for taking too long around the track, those incidents are usually dismissed – mostly because the driver in question was held up by somebody else, or because they went off the track and needed to recover.

Not so in Antonelli's case. Whoops! Even so, he only received an official warning rather than any financial or sporting penalty.

The ruling read: The Stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence.

"The Stewards noted that the driver did not let any cars passed [sic] and therefore deemed he was driving unnecessarily slowly.

"Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 5 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits."

SPRINT QUALI RESULTS: Canadian GP times and positions

F1 Mercedes FIA Kimi Antonelli Canadian Grand Prix