Ferrari fined after odd tyre mix‑up at Spa

Ferrari was handed a €10,000 fine after an unusual tyre‑return infringement during Friday practice at the Belgian Grand Prix. Following FP1, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported that Ferrari had electronically logged the return of two dry‑weather sets for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but failed to physically deliver the corresponding tyres to Pirelli before FP2. The lapse breached Article B6.4.2, prompting the stewards to summon a team representative.

Team principal Fred Vasseur admitted Ferrari was “late” in returning the tyres and expected only a financial penalty, which the FIA confirmed after the team attributed the mistake to an oversight. The rule exists to allow Pirelli to inspect tyres for damage and ensure fair usage across sessions. Former Force India engineer Bernie Collins noted that failing to physically return tyres is more serious than electronic errors, as teams could theoretically reuse them for practice. She stressed the fault lies with procedures, not the drivers.