The biggest fines in Formula 1 racing history

In Formula 1, regulations cover everything from the flexibility of wings, to how long mechanics should spend at the track, to how much time teams spend in the wind tunnel. Once the cars are racing, the regulations continue to pile on — from track limits to moving for slower cars — for which the rule-breakers often need to serve their time during the race or suffer a more serious penalty, such as starting from the pit lane. 

Teams often take the brunt of the offenses seen during a race weekend, ranging from grid penalties to financial fines to be paid by the team. If a specific code of conduct isn’t followed, teams are most often held responsible. For example, if a driver isn’t notified in time that a faster car is approaching (during free practice or qualifying), or mechanics leave the grid too late before a Grand Prix, it is the teams who are fined, penalized, or sanctioned. 

There’s a whole other world of hurt, however, for drivers who break the rules. 

With recent controversy over F1 drivers being fined for swearing — and subsequently asking the FIA to treat them like ‘adults’ — F1 driver fines are not going anywhere. Moreover, in recent years, it is rare to have drivers escape fines. 

As of 2023, F1 drivers can be fined a maximum of €1 million. If this figure seems excessive, you may be correct: no current driver has yet to be fined this amount. Wondering what they can be fined for? 

To put things into perspective for future decisions involving driver fines, here are some of the most serious F1 driver punishments handed out as a financial penalty. 

Causing collisions

It wouldn’t be Formula 1 without grey areas of interpretation. For stewards, trying to police close, hard battles in some of the world’s fastest racing cars is never an easy job, but financial fines are sometimes used when an incident goes beyond a racing mistake and into situations involving multiple competitors. 

For instance, watch Romain Grosjean’s start to the 2012 Belgian GP. He cleaned out five cars, including two championship contenders, earning a one race ban and €50,000 fine, due in full.

Jos Verstappen at the 1994 Brazilian GP.

Photo by: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch / Motorsport Images

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