Damon Hill Condemns 'Ridiculous' F1 Rule Impacting Bottas' 2026 Return
Former Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill has publicly criticised what he describes as a "ridiculous" regulatory situation affecting driver Valtteri Bottas. The Finnish racer, who is set to return to the F1 grid in 2026 with newcomers Cadillac, has been informed he must serve a grid penalty at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.
Penalty Stemming From 2024 Abu Dhabi Incident
The sanction originates from Bottas' final race for Sauber at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he collided with Kevin Magnussen. Both drivers were competing in what proved to be their last races for their respective teams at that time. Bottas was forced to retire from that event before he could serve an incurred time penalty, resulting in a five-place grid drop being carried over to his next Grand Prix appearance.
That 2024 season finale marked Bottas' last competitive outing before he spent 2025 working as a reserve driver for Mercedes, following his departure from Sauber. The penalty has remained on his record during this hiatus from racing.
FIA Rule Change Comes Too Late for Bottas
In a twist of regulatory timing, the FIA has since amended the sporting regulations to ensure that unserved penalties expire from a driver's record after 12 months. However, this rule change was implemented after Bottas received his penalty. The governing body has confirmed it lacks the authority to intervene retroactively.
An FIA spokesperson explained the situation clearly: "Currently, the penalty will stand, as there is no mechanism to retroactively amend the penalty that was applied under the regulations in force at the time. The change of regulation is intended to avoid similar anomalous situations in the future."
Hill's Public Criticism and Bottas' Australian Connection
Reacting to this development, 1996 champion Damon Hill took to his Instagram Story to voice his disapproval, succinctly writing: "How ridiculous." His comment highlights the perceived unfairness of a driver being penalised for an incident that occurred over a year before his return to competition.
This penalty means Bottas will begin his first race for the Cadillac team five places behind his qualifying position at Melbourne's Albert Park Circuit, significantly hindering his chances of securing a strong result on debut. The 36-year-old Finn, who is considered an honorary Australian due to his frequent visits and warm reception Down Under, will be heading to the region early for additional engagements.
Prior to the Grand Prix weekend, Bottas is scheduled to drive a historic Ferrari 156/85 at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and participate in fan meet-and-greet activities. Meanwhile, his new team has completed a limited shakedown of their first F1 car at Silverstone, with teammate Sergio Perez being the only driver to sample the machine so far.
The situation underscores ongoing debates about fairness and consistency in Formula 1's regulatory framework, particularly regarding penalties that span multiple seasons and driver transitions between teams.
