Ah, the fines—the necessary evil in the high-speed ballet of Formula 1. It’s like the pit lane is a courtroom, and each team is on trial for the crime of pushing the boundaries. While most eyes are glued to the race for the championship, there’s a subplot of fines weaving through the season, a monetary maze where every wrong turn costs you.
As the Formula 1 2023 season hurtles towards its conclusion, with just two races left on the calendar, it’s time to shine a spotlight on those who found themselves entangled in the intricate web of penalties this year.
€50,700 – Lewis Hamilton
- Austrian Grand Prix – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Monaco Grand Prix – Pitlane speeding – €600
- Qatar Grand Prix – Crossing the track – €50,000 (€25,000 suspended)
In the Austrian Grand Prix, he got a €100 fine for going too fast in the pitlane. The details about how fast he was going aren’t mentioned. During the Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton was hit with a €600 penalty for speeding in the pitlane. It’s clear he went over the speed limit, but we don’t know the exact speed.
Things got more serious in the Qatar Grand Prix, where Hamilton had to pay a hefty €50,000 for crossing the track. Half of that, €25,000, was suspended. The specifics of why he crossed the track and if there were any dangers involved aren’t explicitly stated. All these penalties add up to €50,700 for Lewis Hamilton in the 2023 season, highlighting the challenges and incidents he faced in these races.
€20,000 – Williams
- Mexican Grand Prix – Equipment in the pitlane – €20,000 (€10,000 suspended)
Williams picked up a hefty €20,000 fine during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. Leaving a jack out in the pitlane during qualifying resulted in a collision with AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. While the fine was substantial, half of it was suspended, offering a bit of relief for the team.
€10,400 – Nico Hulkenberg
- Hungarian GP – Procedural error – €5000
- Austrian GP – Unsafe release – €5000 (suspended)
- Singapore GP – Pitlane speeding – €400
Nico Hulkenberg faced a €10,400 fine for a procedural error during the Hungarian GP and an unsafe release during the Austrian GP. Haas’ oversight in returning a set of intermediate tires led to the team being penalized for not adhering to the Sporting Regulations.
€10,300 – Logan Sargeant
- Monaco GP – Pitlane speeding – €200
- Monaco GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Canadian GP – Procedural error – €5000
- Singapore GP – Reprimand – €5000
Logan Sargeant accumulated €10,300 in fines for pitlane speeding and procedural errors. The American rookie faced penalties during the Monaco and Canadian GPs, highlighting the challenges of adapting to the strict regulations of Formula 1.
€6,300 – Yuki Tsunoda
- Azerbaijan GP – Unsafe release during Sprint – €5000
- Monaco GP – Pitlane speeding – €1000
- Canadian GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Belgian GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Belgian GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
Yuki Tsunoda had a costly year for AlphaTauri, with fines totaling €6,300 for various offenses. From an unsafe release in Azerbaijan to pitlane speeding in Monaco, Canada, and Belgium, Tsunoda’s learning curve included financial penalties.
€6,200 – Max Verstappen
- Australian GP – Pitlane speeding – €700
- Italian Grand Prix – Pitlane speeding – €500
- Singapore Grand Prix – Reprimand – €5000
Max Verstappen faced a €6,200 bill, with fines for pitlane speeding in Australia and Italy, as well as a reprimand in Singapore. The penalties showcased the challenges of finding the right balance between speed and adherence to regulations in the heat of competition.
€5,200 – Carlos Sainz
- Dutch GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Dutch GP – Dangerous manoeuvre – €5000
- Singapore GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
Carlos Sainz incurred a €5,200 penalty for a combination of pitlane speeding and a dangerous maneuver in the Dutch Grand Prix. The stewards deemed Sainz’s rapid move to the racing line a “Potentially Dangerous” situation, leading to both driver and team fines.
€5,100 – Alex Albon
- Monaco GP – Pitlane speeding – €100
- Canadian GP – Procedural error – €5000
Alex Albon both earned €5,000 fines for procedural errors. Albon’s Williams team forgot to return tires to Pirelli after practice. In F1, attention to detail is paramount.
€5,000 – Kevin Magnussen
- Hungarian GP – Procedural error – €5000
Kevin Magnussen earned €5,000 fines for procedural errors. Magnussen’s Haas team committed a procedural error on both cars, while Albon’s Williams team forgot to return tires to Pirelli after practice.
€5,000 – Nyck de Vries
- British GP – Unsafe release – €5000
Nyck de Vries faced a hefty €5,000 fine for an unsafe release during his final Grand Prix weekend with Red Bull. It was a bitter end to his tenure with the team, but such fines are a part of the intense scrutiny in Formula 1.
