Ferrari has incurred a €10,000 penalty during the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix weekend. The fine was issued for a breach of Formula 1’s tyre regulations following the conclusion of the first free practice session today, Friday, July 17.
The infringement involved the failure to return two sets of slick tyres to the official supplier, Pirelli. One set belonged to Charles Leclerc’s car, and the other to Lewis Hamilton’s, both Ferrari drivers for the current season.
Stewards investigated the incident after the second free practice session at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The team was found to be in violation of Article B6.4.2 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
This specific regulation mandates that teams must return two sets of dry-weather tyres within 30 minutes of the end of Free Practice 1. These returned tyres are then prohibited from further use during the remainder of the Grand Prix weekend.
Ferrari acknowledged the procedural error to the stewards. The team stated that the oversight was a mistake in their garage operations, leading to the non-compliance with the stipulated tyre return protocol.
Teams are allocated a total of 13 sets of dry-weather tyres per car for a Grand Prix weekend. The regulations strictly govern their usage and return schedule to ensure fair competition and controlled tyre management across all teams.
The penalty of €5,000 per infringement resulted in a total fine of €10,000 for the Maranello-based squad. The FIA consistently enforces these rules to prevent any potential advantage gained through improper tyre handling.
Similar penalties have been issued in previous seasons for comparable breaches. Red Bull Racing received a €10,000 fine at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix for a tyre return oversight, and Mercedes faced a penalty in 2022 for a related procedural infringement.
The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix weekend is currently underway, with qualifying scheduled for Saturday, July 18, and the main race on Sunday, July 19, at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
