FIA dish out HUGE number of penalties at F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Photo: © IMAGO

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

FIA dish out HUGE number of penalties at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was one of many drivers affected

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson Chief Editor

Sunday 8 December 2024 17:00

The stewards were working overtime at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, handing out penalties to a number of Formula 1 drivers.

The final race of the 2024 season started in chaotic fashion, with one penalty being handed out for an incident technically before the lights had even gone out.

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The driver in question was Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu. who was slapped with a five-second time penalty for a breach of article 48.1 a) of the Formula One Sporting Regulations.

Things were made even more dramatic into turn one, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen colliding with McLaren's Oscar Piastri towards the front of the field.

Zhou Guanyu made a false start at the Abu Dhabi GP

Max Verstappen was hit with a 10-second time penalty in Abu Dhabi

FIA penalties at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The penalties did not stop there in the early stages, with a string of other punishments also handed out by the FIA at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Valtteri Bottas was another driver who found himself in breach of the rules early on in the race.

The Finn was given a 10-second penalty and two penalty points for causing a collision with Red Bull's Sergio Perez in to turn six on lap one, with Perez later retiring and bringing out the Virtual Safety Car (VSC).

Bottas also came in for further punishment later in the race too after clumsy contact with Haas' Kevin Magnussen.

This time, however, Bottas was given a five-place grid drop for the next race, and three penalty points. With no seat for 2025, it remains to be seen if the Finn will ever serve that punishment.

Valtteri Bottas was involved in multiple incidents at the season finale

Elsewhere, a 10-second penalty and two penalty points were given to McLaren's Piastri after he was involved in another incident as he looked to come through the field following his early setback.

Piastri was found to have caused a collision with Williams' Franco Colapinto, who was later forced to retire with an engine issue on lap 28.

Last but not least, the most severe penalty of the day was given to Visa Cash App RB's Liam Lawson, who received a 10-second stop/go penalty.

The VCARB team were found to have released the car unsafely back onto the track, with one of the wheels on the car appearing to be loose after a pit stop.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll was also slapped with a five-second time penalty for infringing track limits on too many occasions.

Max Verstappen Mercedes Formula 1 Hamilton Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Zhou Guanyu