Red Bull have been fined £43,000 after a team member attempted to remove a piece of tape placed by McLaren on the pit wall to help Lando Norris line up correctly on the grid at the US Grand Prix. The incident, captured by CCTV cameras, occurred just before the start of the race in Austin.
The tape was used as a visual aid for Norris, who was starting second behind Max Verstappen. With visibility limited from the cockpit, such markers help drivers position their cars accurately in the grid box. There is no regulation against using tape, but nor is there one preventing its removal.
However, the Red Bull employee entered a restricted area after the formation lap had begun, ignoring marshals' instructions. The FIA deemed this an unsafe act, leading to the fine. A Red Bull representative said the team member was unaware of the marshals' efforts to stop him.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the incident as a misunderstanding. It is understood this is not the first time Red Bull have attempted to interfere with McLaren's grid markers.
