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Charles Leclerc

Update: Leclerc handed 10-place grid penalty after fifth ICE use

Archive photograph: Charles Leclerc · 2026-05-13Archive photo · 2026-05-13 · Gabriel Hutchinson · CC BY-SA 4.0

FIA stewards imposed a 10-place grid drop on Charles Leclerc for his next race after he used a fifth internal-combustion engine in São Paulo GP FP3.

FIA stewards have imposed a 10-place grid drop on Charles Leclerc for the next race he contests after he used a fifth internal-combustion engine (ICE) during Free Practice 3 at the São Paulo Grand Prix.

The decision records the use at 11:37, cites breaches of Articles B8.2.2a (read with B8.2.3), and says the penalty is imposed under Article B8.2.8a. The notice also says certain stewards’ decisions may be appealed within the applicable time limits.

This is a new report following our earlier article.

This is an explicit FIA penalty decision, not a summons. Earlier supplied coverage anticipated Leclerc's 10-place drop; this formal ruling is a distinct later development, so publish as a linked Update rather than skip.

Sources 02
  1. PRIMARY SOURCEDoc 35 - Infringement - Car 16 - Changes to PU elementFIA F1 decision documents
  2. SOURCEHamilton and Leclerc face 10-place drops; Verstappen set for back-of-grid startGPBeat · Earlier article; original report remains unchanged
Source context

The penalty applies to Leclerc's next race, but the decision does not state an absolute starting position. It notes appeal rights for certain decisions without specifying whether this particular penalty is appealable.