Abu Dhabi GP: Antonelli Incident Leads to Fines for Mercedes and Williams

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix's final practice session was marred by two significant pit lane incidents, leading to fines for Mercedes and Williams. Andrea Kimi Antonelli's release from the Mercedes garage resulted in a collision with Yuki Tsunoda, damaging the Red Bull car. The stewards determined that Mercedes was at fault for the unsafe release, leading to a €10,000 fine. Toto Wolff, Mercedes' team principal, promptly apologized to Red Bull for the mishap.

Separately, Williams faced a €5,000 fine for releasing Alex Albon into the path of Esteban Ocon. The stewards deemed this an unsafe release, as Ocon had to brake to avoid a collision. These incidents highlight the critical importance of pit lane safety and the potential consequences of procedural errors during practice sessions. The fines serve as a reminder to all teams to maintain vigilance and precision in their pit lane operations.

Despite the incidents, George Russell set the pace in FP3, demonstrating Mercedes' potential for the race. Lando Norris and Max Verstappen followed closely, setting the stage for a competitive qualifying session.

Antonelli was released unsafely from the Mercedes pit box and collided with Tsunoda's Red Bull in the pit lane.

Mercedes received a €10,000 fine for the unsafe release of Antonelli.

Williams was fined €5,000 for releasing Alex Albon into the path of Esteban Ocon, deemed an unsafe release.

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