Mercedes Violate Curfew Rules at Brazilian GP, FIA Reveals Verdict

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has appeared in an FIA report over a restricted-period incident ahead of the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix. However, the report does not declare any penalty for the offence.

Instead, the FIA confirmed that Mercedes used one of its permitted curfew exceptions, so the stewards did not need to take further action. The document also explains when the incident occurred.

What Happened With Mercedes Before the Brazilian GP?

According to FIA Document 10, team personnel involved in operating the Mercedes car remained on the circuit during a restricted period before the opening practice session at Interlagos.

The incident took place overnight between Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Thursday, Nov. 5. The restricted period ran from 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday to 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, totalling 13 hours.

The FIA Technical Delegate, Jo Bauer, submitted the report to the stewards on Friday, November 6, at 8:46 a.m. It identified the personnel involved and confirmed that their presence fell within the weekend’s first restricted period.

Why Did the FIA Allow Mercedes to Use a Curfew Exception?

Formula 1 teams must follow strict working-hour restrictions during a Grand Prix weekend. These rules limit when operational personnel can enter the circuit and work on the cars.

Under Article B9.5 of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, teams receive a fixed number of exceptions to these restrictions during a championship.

The regulations allow six exceptions for the first restricted period, five for the second and four for the third. These allowances give teams some flexibility when they need additional time during a race weekend.

However, teams cannot use these exceptions consecutively at the same competition. Once a team uses an allowance, it counts towards its seasonal limit.

In Mercedes’ case, the FIA confirmed that the Interlagos incident marked its second use of the six available exceptions for the first restricted period in 2026.

What Was the FIA’s Final Verdict?

The FIA’s report left little room for confusion about the outcome. Since Mercedes had used an available exception, the Technical Delegate explicitly stated that no action should be taken.

Therefore, the team did not receive a fine, a grid penalty, or any other sporting punishment for this incident.

The report went to the stewards for their information rather than as a finding of a punishable curfew breach.

This distinction matters because the presence of team personnel during a restricted period does not automatically mean that a team has committed an offence. The regulations provide specific allowances, and Mercedes used one of them within the permitted limit.

How Many Curfew Exceptions Does Mercedes Have Left?

Following the second exception at Interlagos, Mercedes has four of its six allowances remaining for the first restricted period during the 2026 season.

The team must still manage these allowances carefully across the remaining championship events. A further exception would reduce its available count, while an actual breach without an applicable allowance could lead to sporting consequences under the regulations.

For now, however, the FIA report does not place George Russell, Kimi Antonelli or the Mercedes team under any additional sporting restriction because of this incident.

The decision also does not affect the drivers’ participation in the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, November 8. Their preparations and on-track duties continue under the normal weekend schedule.

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