Formula 1 drivers have been placed on notice ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, with the FIA issuing a clear warning about potential penalties for gaining an advantage by leaving the track during the opening lap. With a long run towards the first corner and several opportunities for wheel-to-wheel battles, the opening stages of the race could become particularly tense.
The warning specifically targets Turns 1 to 3 and Turns 4 to 6, where drivers are expected to exercise caution when fighting for position. The FIA is also applying the same instructions to the first lap following any race restart, meaning a safety car period or red-flag resumption could create another moment when drivers must be especially careful.
FIA MAKES ITS POSITION CLEAR ON OPENING-LAP BATTLES
In its instructions to the teams, the FIA stewards explained that all cars would automatically be considered both attacking and defending during the specified sections on the opening lap and the first lap after a restart.
The stewards stated:
“Applicable for this event, on Lap 1 and the first lap after any Resumption, in Turns 1 to 3, and Turns 4 to 6, all cars will, by default, be considered as both attacking and defending.”
This approach recognises the unpredictable nature of the opening lap, when several drivers can arrive at a corner side by side. It also makes clear that drivers cannot assume they are entitled to keep a position simply because they were alongside another car when entering a corner.
THE TWO CORNER SECTIONS THAT COULD COST DRIVERS
The most important part of the FIA’s warning concerns what happens when a driver leaves the track but continues to hold a position over a rival.
According to the stewards, a car that goes off track in these areas while maintaining its position against a closely following competitor may be considered to have gained a lasting advantage.
However, the FIA has identified specific points by which the position must be surrendered. If a driver leaves the track between Turns 1 and 3, the position must be yielded by Turn 4. If the incident happens between Turns 4 and 6, the driver must give the position back by Turn 12.
That means a driver who cuts across the circuit, avoids losing ground and continues ahead could face an investigation if the stewards determine that an advantage was retained.
WHY THE MEXICO CITY START COULD BECOME A MAJOR FLASHPOINT
The run towards Turn 1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is one of the most important strategic moments of the race. Drivers can gain positions through a strong launch, late braking and carefully judged overtaking moves, but the congestion can also create contact and force cars away from the racing surface.
The situation becomes even more complicated when multiple drivers attempt to occupy the same piece of track. One driver may brake late, another may take a defensive line, while someone else could be forced wide to avoid a collision.
The FIA’s instructions are designed to prevent drivers from turning those chaotic moments into an unfair advantage. Nevertheless, the wording leaves the stewards with responsibility for judging whether a car was genuinely forced off track, whether a rival was close enough to be affected and whether a position was maintained unfairly.
DRIVERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A CLEAR MESSAGE
The warning could influence how aggressively drivers approach the opening corners. A position gained through a bold move may not be worth keeping if it requires leaving the track and subsequently risks a penalty.
Teams will also need to remind their drivers that simply avoiding contact does not automatically mean they can retain the position. Giving back a place at the correct point could be the difference between escaping an investigation and receiving a costly sporting penalty.
With championship points, podium positions and team battles potentially decided by small margins, the FIA’s instructions add another layer of pressure to the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The message is straightforward: drivers can fight hard, but they cannot leave the track, keep an advantage and expect the stewards to ignore it. The opening lap and any restart could therefore produce some very controversial decisions.
