Seven drivers, including first-time podium finisher Andrea Kimi Antonelli, have been formally warned for infringements of the Safety Car rules.
The other drivers include championship leader Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth. Three other points finishers – Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz – were warned along with Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll who finished outside the top 10.
The seven drivers all overtook other cars after the end of the race. This is ordinarily permitted, however the race was still under Safety Car conditions on this occasion, although the car had entered the pits.
Gasly and Ocon were given official warnings at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last year for committing the same breach after the race under Virtual Safety Car conditions. Max Verstappen and Nico Hulkenberg were also formally warned at the same race.
In all seven cases the stewards noted the drivers should have maintained the order they were in when they crossed the finishing line.
“While passing after the chequered flag is not unusual, it is prohibited in the case of yellow flags, Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car procedures. While the drivers were aware of where the incident was, they could not have known if emergency equipment or marshals were being dispatched onto the track, and so have to proceed with caution.
“We are therefore warning the driver concerned, along with all other competitors. Further breaches may incur higher penalties.”
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Verstappen was among those who noted several drivers overtaking him as he drove back to the pits after today’s race and reported it on his radio. “Look, they’re passing, you’re not allowed to pass with the Safety Car still activated,” he told race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
George Russell’s race engineer Marcus Dudley also noticed the drivers who were passing after the chequered flag. “There should be no overtaking here,” he told the race winner. “It’s still Safety Car conditions, I don’t know what they’re doing.”
“To be fair I was driving quite slow, so I don’t think they did anything wrong,” replied Russell. “I was just waving at the crowd.”
The stewards also issued a formal warning to Oliver Bearman for failing to rejoin the track correctly at turn 14 after he went off while fighting for position with Franco Colapinto. Ocon was cleared of driving erratically when he braked sharply in the pit exit and was almost hit by Carlos Sainz Jnr.
Lance Stroll, who received a 10-sceond time penalty during the race for forcing Pierre Gasly off the track, was also given two penalty points on his licence for the incident.
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