Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc were both fined after arriving late to the FIA’s Thursday press conference in Monaco, with McLaren and Ferrari each receiving a €5,000 penalty that has been suspended for 12 months unless there are further similar breaches. The two drivers were called before the stewards on Friday morning to explain the delay, which was judged to be a breach of FIA Formula 1 regulations governing media duties and official ceremonies.
The FIA requires six selected drivers to attend the Thursday press conference on time, usually after lunch, with the session split into two half-hour segments and broadcast live. Because the appearance is part of the official event schedule, punctuality is mandatory under Article B10 of the F1 regulations, which also covers obligations such as attending the grid for the national anthem.
According to the stewards, Norris and Leclerc breached Article B10.1.1a of the FIA F1 regulations, along with Articles 12.2.1.i and 12.2.1.p of the FIA International Sporting Code. Both drivers said they had been delayed by a previous commitment, but that explanation was not considered enough to reduce the sanction.
The case highlights how the FIA treats media-related offences as formal rule breaches, even when the penalty is relatively minor. The teams, rather than the drivers, are responsible for the fines under the sporting code, meaning McLaren and Ferrari will be expected to pay if the suspended penalties are activated by another offence within the next year.
The Monaco incident was described as a lower-level offence compared with more serious timing violations, such as being late for the national anthem. In a separate example last season, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fined for arriving five seconds late for the anthem in Japan after an emergency call of nature, though that sanction was reduced from the standard amount.
The FIA’s approach reflects its emphasis on discipline and consistency across the race weekend, especially at high-profile events like Monaco, where media commitments are tightly scheduled and closely monitored. While Norris and Leclerc avoided immediate financial punishment, the suspended fines leave both teams under pressure to avoid any repeat offence during the next 12 months.
The ruling also underscores the importance of advance communication with race officials. In past cases, drivers have avoided punishment when teams notified the FIA beforehand about delays, but no such mitigation applied here. For McLaren and Ferrari, the matter is now closed unless another similar infringement occurs.
