FIA fines Red Bull 50k for formation-lap safety breach at US GP

A Red Bull team member who reentered the pit-gate area during the formation lap at the United States Grand Prix in Austin was fined 50,000 by FIA stewards on Monday, with 25,000 of the penalty suspended. The sanction followed an investigation into a safety breach after the formation lap had begun at Circuit of the Americas, officials said, and was not applied to any driver or related to race results.

The stewards' report said, "A team member reentered the gate well area at Gate 1 in proximity of the second grid position after the formation lap had commenced and at the moment the pit marshals started to close the gate." Marshals reported the individual did not appear to respond to directions to remain clear. The penalty was imposed on the team for the unsafe act of reentering a track area that must be vacated before the race start. Half of the fine will remain suspended for the rest of the season provided there is no repeat infraction.

Multiple accounts from the paddock and team representatives indicate the crew member was attempting to remove a strip of tape McLaren had attached to the pit wall to help driver Lando Norris locate the optimal position within his grid box. Teams...