FIA announce F1 star disqualification verdict at Canadian Grand Prix after race

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Canadian Grand Prix

FIA announce F1 star disqualification verdict at Canadian Grand Prix after race

Esteban Ocon landed in hot water with the FIA stewards

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 23 May 2026 21:35 Updated: 22:00

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An F1 star was subject of a disqualification investigation at the Canadian Grand Prix by the FIA following an issue that happened before the race even started.

Esteban Ocon finished 13th in the sprint race at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal, narrowly behind the Racing Bulls car of Liam Lawson and five places above highly rated Haas team-mate Ollie Bearman.

However, post-race checks on his car revealed tyre pressure infringements that saw the matter referred to the stewards by FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer, with risk of being disqualified from the sprint event.

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Esteban Ocon tyre pressures released

A statement read: "On the grid the tyre pressures of car number 31 (Ocon) were checked at 11:51 and all wheels were fitted to the car at 11:52, this all being in compliance with FIA-F1-DOC-062A Tyre Operating Procedures.

But at 11:56, air was released on the left rear tyre with the wheel fitted to the car. As this is not in compliance with point 2.5, Point 2.7 and Point 2.8 of FIA-F1-DOC-062A Tyre Operating Procedure, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration."

The French driver was then called to see the stewards at 2.45pm local time (7.45pm UK time) in relation to the incident.

Off the hook

A decision was made shortly after though confirming that all tyre pressure checks satisfied FIA parameters, meaning Ocon escaped without penalty, with a final classification for the sprint race confirming him in 13th place.

A no further action verdict was given with the FIA giving a curious explanation to their decision.

"The Stewards heard from the team Sporting Director, team Engineer, the FIA Technical Delegate and the Grid Scrutineer assigned to Car 31, and reviewed video evidence from Car 11 (the car behind Car 31 on the grid), and from the FIA grid camera for position 14 (the starting position for Car 31).

"The Stewards also inspected the tyre blanket and tyre pressure gauge from Car 31.

"This video evidence proved conclusively that there was no breach of the regulations in that there was no contact with the tyre that would have resulted in pressure being released.

"The report received was based on a visual report from the Scrutineer who witnessed a crew member of Car 31 holding what appeared to be an air hose connected to the tyre but was in fact the electrical cable for the tyre blanket.

"The cable was almost identical in appearance to the air hose and could easily have been mistaken for the latter."

Ocon's 2026 Haas struggles

Ocon has endured a tough start to the 2026 F1 season, sitting on just one point after four race weekends following a 10th place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The pressure is on the 29-year-old given Bearman in the same car already has 17 points this season.

Reports during the week suggested that Ocon, whose only F1 win came at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix was at risk of being sacked by the team to make way potentially for Yuki Tsunoda.

However, Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu was furious with the rumours of him having had a falling out with Ocon. “I honestly don't know where the story came from, no idea,” Komatsu said. “No foundation whatsoever, absolute bull****.

“If somebody wants to write that kind of bull****, feel free, but is that journalism? I have no idea. It's terrible. What are they trying to achieve? It's crazy. No foundation whatsoever.”