Eight Formula 1 drivers have been belatedly penalised in the Austrian Grand Prix after a review of extra track limits offences.
Aston Martin protested the provisional classification of the Austrian GP because a number of cars were not penalised for exceeding track limits at the Red Bull Ring.
It then emerged the FIA was reviewing the matter anyway.
An examination of the list of deleted laps provided to the stewards by race control revealed “a number of track limit infringements had not previously been referred to the stewards” and did in fact warrant a penalty.
FIA race control was tasked with reviewing a significant number of potential infringements that there was not time to handle during the race, and this was completed on Sunday evening.
Eight drivers have received extra penalties. The top three remains the same – Max Verstappen winning from Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez – but there are changes in the points positions and outside the top 10.
Fourth-place finisher Carlos Sainz gets a 10-second penalty, as do Lewis Hamilton (who finished sixth) and Pierre Gasly (ninth).
That promotes Lando Norris to fourth and Fernando Alonso to fifth, ahead of Sainz in sixth. Hamilton drops behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell, while Lance Stroll gains ninth ahead of Gasly.
Aston Martin gains three points, while its constructors’ championship rival Ferrari loses four.
Revised race result
1 Verstappen =
2 Leclerc =
3 Perez =
4 Norris +1
5 Alonso +1
6 Sainz* -2
7 Russell +1
8 Hamilton* -1
9 Stroll +1
10 Gasly* -1
11 Albon* =
12 Zhou +2
13 Sargeant* =
14 Ocon* -3
15 Bottas +1
16 Piastri +1
17 De Vries* -2
18 Magnussen +1
19 Tsunoda* -1
DNF Hulkenberg
* Driver penalised post-race
=/+/- Positions gained or lost through post-race penalties
Non-points scorers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant also get 10-second penalties, Esteban Ocon received 30 seconds’ worth, while Nyck de Vries picked up 15 seconds and Yuki Tsunoda five.
Seven drivers – Hamilton, Tsunoda (twice), Sainz, Albon, Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen and Gasly – had already received time penalties in the race for repeat offences.
The stewards “very strongly recommend that a solution be found to the track limits situation at this circuit” and the FIA is to “renew” its recommendation that the Red Bull Ring adds a gravel trap at the exit of Turns 9 and 10 following what it called an “unprecedented situation”.
This solution is one that the likes of world champion Max Verstappen have advocated but it has previously been made difficult because MotoGP also races at the Red Bull Ring.
Tracks that host two-and-four-wheeled categories tend to avoid gravel traps where possible because it is less suitable for bikes.
