Document 64 - Decision - Car 31 - Allegedly Driving Unnecessarily Slowly

Date: 08 March 2026 Time: 17:51

Incident Overview

• Driver: 31 - Esteban Ocon (TGR Haas F1 Team)
• Session: Race
• Fact: Car 31 exceeded the VSC delta in several mini-sectors during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) deployment.
• Alleged Infringement: Breach of Article B1.8.5 and/or B5.12.2.a of the FIA F1 Regulations.

Stewards' Review and Decision

The Stewards, after receiving a report from the Race Director (document 57) and hearing from the driver and team representative, have made the following determination:

• Review Process: The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 31 (Esteban Ocon) and the team representative. They also reviewed various data sources, including:

  • Positioning/marshalling system data
  • Video footage
  • Timing data
  • Telemetry data
  • Team radio communications

• Finding: Based on the evidence, the Stewards determined that Car 31 did not drive unnecessarily slowly during the VSC period.

• Decision: No further action will be taken.

Right of Appeal

Competitors are reminded of their right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 5 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.

Independence of Decisions

Decisions made by the Stewards are independent of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines, and presented evidence.

The Stewards:

• Nish Shetty
• Pedro Lamy
• Mathieu Remmerie
• Matthew Selley