Source: Official Team Post via X
Andrea Stella Questions FIA's Decision on Kimi Antonelli's Track Limits Violation
Kimi Antonelli managed to secure a podium finish at the Singapore Grand Prix despite multiple track limit violations. McLaren's Andrea Stella is puzzled by the FIA's decision not to penalize the Mercedes driver.
Kimi Antonelli's third-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix raised eyebrows, particularly at McLaren, where Andrea Stella expressed his bewilderment over the FIA's decision to spare Antonelli a penalty for exceeding track limits. Antonelli, who leads the championship by a substantial margin, avoided a penalty that many, including Stella, believed was warranted. According to Stella, the young Mercedes driver, who has collected more track limit warnings than any other driver this season, should have received a five-second penalty after triggering four violations during the race.
Lewis Hamilton's strategy misstep allowed Antonelli to climb up to third place. Hamilton's decision to stay out under the virtual safety car saw him drop down the order, paving the way for Antonelli, who overtook the Ferrari along with McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. But Stella is convinced that McLaren could have achieved that third place if Antonelli had been penalized.
The controversy stems from Antonelli's four track limit violations: two at Turn 2, one at the final corner, and another during his out-lap at Turn 7 under the virtual safety car. A five-second penalty seemed certain until Mercedes successfully appealed one of the violations. Commentator Nelson Valkenburg explained on a podcast that Mercedes prompted a review of the incident, leading to the decision that Antonelli did not breach the limits as initially flagged.
Stella expressed his confusion to Sky Sports Germany, saying, "Race control made it clear they viewed Antonelli’s fourth breach as a loss of grip and therefore didn’t count it. I don’t entirely understand this interpretation, but we respect it." This interpretation allowed Antonelli to maintain his position, despite having been penalized for similar infractions at Silverstone earlier in the season.
Had Antonelli been penalized in Singapore, his third-place finish would have remained unchanged since Norris finished 16 seconds behind him. Nonetheless, Stella's comments highlight ongoing debates over consistency and fairness in the application of track limit rules in F1.