Stop-and-Go penalty for Nico Hulkenberg in Montreal: however, it is not certain that the Audi driver will actually serve it this season
A surprising decision. The Canadian GP, arguably the best of this early 2026 season, is delivering further plot twists days after its conclusion.
This is the case with Nico Hulkenberg: the German Audi driver, who finished twelfth and two laps down, as well as spinning out in Turn 1, was shockingly handed a Stop-and-Go penalty at the end of the GP. A penalty that, however, may not actually be served.
The penalty and the FIA Statement
Let’s start from the beginning. The Grand Prix, full of battles across all areas of the grid as well as overtakes and retirements, began with no less than three formation laps completed. The start of the Canadian race was in fact postponed three times due to Arvid Lindblad’s VCARB, which remained parked on the grid because of a gearbox issue.
And this is exactly the context of the penalty: on the third formation lap, Liam Lawson’s other VCARB reportedly overtook Hulkenberg’s Audi, with the former Sauber driver failing to execute the obvious re-overtake before the Safety Car 1 line.
Follows the FIA statement: “The FIA statement reads as follows: “Cars 27 and 30 were out of position at Safety Car Line 1 during the formation lap. Car 27 did not enter the Pit Lane as required by the Regulations.”
“Breach of Article B5.6.4 of the FIA F1 Regulations and decision of a mandatory Stop-and-Go penalty imposed after the Race. This penalty is suspended for the period ending at the final race of the 2026 Championship on condition that no further similar breach, by this driver, occurs. In addition, the driver is Reprimanded for failure to start the formation lap in the correct order. This is the driver’s first Reprimand for the Season “.
The outcome is a reprimand for Lawson and an (absurd) Stop-and-Go penalty for Nico, which will only be served if the German commits another similar infraction before the Abu Dhabi GP, the final race of the season.
