Albon penalized for unsafe rejoin, Gasly forced to brake in Brazil

Alex Albon has been penalized with a five-second time penalty and two points on his Super Licence for an unsafe rejoin during the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Williams driver left the track at Turn 2 and returned at Turn 3 directly in front of Pierre Gasly, forcing the Alpine driver to brake heavily in high-speed conditions. The stewards reviewed video and positioning data before issuing the penalty.

Why it matters:

The incident underscores the safety risks in wet-dry conditions and the FIA's strict enforcement of rejoin rules. Stewards stressed that cars on track should never be forced to slow for a rejoining car. Albon's penalty points total now stands at three for the 12-month period, moving him closer to a potential race ban.

The details:

• Stewards determined Albon re-joined unsafely, causing Gasly to brake.
• Gasly said: "He just closed the door trying to keep his position... I had to slam the brake in Turn 3, which was a high-speed corner, so not great." He added it was "one of these situations in tricky conditions."
• Albon defended his actions: "There’s only a dry line, and if I try to accelerate into the wet bit, I’ll only spin. I tried to just slot in. We’re racing for points."
• Williams' point-less streak extended to five races; they sit ninth in the Constructors' Championship, five points ahead of Aston Martin.

What's next:

With three rounds remaining in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, Williams needs points to hold off Aston Martin. Mercedes clinched the Constructors' title in Sao Paulo, while Alpine and Racing Bulls continue their battle for fifth, separated by 45 points.