Kimi Antonelli avoided punishment in the Singapore Grand Prix despite recording four track limits violations, a decision that puzzled many observers. The Italian finished third, moving 102 points clear of team-mate George Russell in the championship standings, with the title now within touching distance.
How the track limits rules work
The rules for track limits appear straightforward: exceeding them during a race results in the lap time being deleted. Three violations trigger a black-and-white flag, a final warning, and a fourth offence leads to an automatic five-second time penalty.
However, a less widely known line in the sporting code explains why Antonelli was not penalised despite his four violations.
Antonelli's four violations explained
Antonelli's first two violations came less than two minutes apart at turn two on consecutive laps. Those laps were deleted, and Mercedes race engineer Peter Bonnington reminded him to stay within the lines.
The third strike came just over an hour into the race at turn 19, putting him at real risk. A few minutes later, Antonelli pitted, and it was on his out lap that he went off track again at turn seven.
The key difference was that this fourth incident happened on an out lap rather than a full timed lap. The FIA's penalty guidelines for stewards state that "a driver cannot set a time outside the white lines." Since Antonelli was not setting a time, there was no competitive lap to strike, and he was not battling anyone at the time.
Mercedes boss reacts
The technicality benefited Antonelli and Mercedes, though team boss Toto Wolff admitted the driver's approach had stressed him out.
"I have a good strategy, I'm going to put a pillow from the hotel under his a**e, under his butt, so he can actually see the road," Wolff joked. "Because I think it's like this, you know, he can't see it [the track]. So yeah, under his a**e so he can see, and it stresses us. Half the race we already have three strikes, but it also shows that he's pushing the limits a lot."
