The Audi Formula 1 team will proceed with its appeal against the stewards’ decision not to penalize Yuki Tsunoda for causing an extra formation lap at the Italian Grand Prix, Motorsport.com understands.
Tsunoda’s Grid Alignment Triggers Aborted Start
The incident occurred at the start of the Monza race when race director Rui Marques aborted the initial formation lap. Marques was not comfortable with the way the Japanese driver lined up in his grid box, angled towards the pit wall. The FIA race stewards reviewed the incident after the race but decided against issuing the customary stop-and-go penalty, which would have been converted into a 30-second time penalty.
Regulation Article B5.9.4 Central to Dispute
The appeal hinges on Article B5.9.4 of the F1 2026 sporting regulations, which states:
“any driver who caused an extra formation lap, and is then able to start the, or any subsequent, extra formation lap must enter the pitlane at the end of the lap and must start… from the end of the pitlane.”
Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls team argued that its driver was not out of his grid slot and did not impact his competitors. Race director Marques also explained that he acted out of an abundance of caution. Consequently, the team had not been notified by race control that Tsunoda was the cause of the extra formation lap, so it had no reason to instruct its driver to start from the pit exit.
Stewards’ Interpretation and Audi’s Counter-Argument
The stewards agreed with Racing Bulls’ interpretation of the rules. However, Audi promptly lodged an intention to appeal. The German manufacturer was directly affected by the non-penalty, as Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th—one position behind Tsunoda—and would be promoted into a points-paying position if the verdict is overturned.
By notifying the FIA of its intention to appeal, Audi secured a 96-hour window to study the rulebook, build a case, and decide whether to proceed. That window closes on Thursday night, and sources have now confirmed that Audi will follow through with the appeal procedure.
Seeking Clarity for Future Precedent
It is understood that Audi views the rulebook as unambiguous regarding penalties for causing an extra formation lap. The team argues that because the race director felt Tsunoda’s start position was sufficient reason to abort the start, Tsunoda should have been required to start from the pitlane regardless of the team’s notification status.
Whether or not the appeal succeeds in overturning the decision, Audi is keen to obtain formal clarification from the race stewards to establish a clear precedent for future occasions. The FIA has yet to set a date for the appeal hearing.
