The FIA has officially announced the results of their post-race investigation following a chaotic end to the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, confirming penalties for seven Formula 1 drivers due to infringements committed under the safety car.
While George Russell celebrated his first Grand Prix win of the season for Mercedes and Max Verstappen crossed the line in second, the final result was under review for hours as the FIA investigated a string of infractions during the final laps of the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
In a dramatic twist, the race ended under the safety car after a high-speed collision between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, with Norris clipping Piastri’s rear-left tyre while attempting an aggressive pass down the pit straight. Norris retired immediately, while Piastri limped back to the pits with heavy damage.
Seven drivers were subsequently placed under investigation for allegedly overtaking under the safety car after the chequered flag. The drivers under scrutiny included:
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
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Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
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Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
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Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
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Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
After several hours of deliberation, the FIA confirmed their findings late Sunday night:
“Upon reviewing the telemetry, onboard footage, and marshal sector data, it was determined that seven drivers performed unauthorized position changes under safety car conditions after the chequered flag,” the FIA stated in an official communiqué.
“As a result, time penalties ranging from five to ten seconds have been applied where appropriate, in accordance with Article 55.8 of the FIA Sporting Code. No driver incurred a grid penalty for the next race.”
While most drivers received 5-second penalties, the FIA clarified that the penalties did not impact the top two finishers, Russell and Verstappen. However, Kimi Antonelli lost his maiden podium as a result of his penalty, promoting Charles Leclerc to third place.
Max Verstappen commented briefly after the ruling:
“It’s unfortunate to see Kimi lose his first podium like that, but the rules are the rules. I’m glad the FIA acted decisively.”
The FIA also issued a formal warning to all teams, referencing a similar investigation from the 2024 Azerbaijan GP, saying:
“This serves as a final reminder. Future breaches of this nature may incur more severe penalties including grid drops or disqualifications.”
The Canadian GP results are now official, with updated positions and championship points reflecting the post-race penalties. F1 heads next to Austria, where tensions are expected to remain high amid Verstappen’s ongoing penalty point situation and Ferrari’s push to regain momentum.
