Following the conclusion of Saturday afternoon’s FIA F2 Sprint Race at the 2025 Spanish GP in Barcelona, PREMA Racing’s Sebastián Montoya received a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with teammate Gabriele Minì. This penalty significantly impacted Montoya’s race result, dropping him from fifth place to 11th in the final classification.
Collision between Minì and Montoya investigated
The incident occurred at Turn 1, one of the most critical and challenging corners of the Barcelona circuit. Car 9, driven by Montoya, made contact with Car 10, piloted by Minì, during the opening stages of the race. According to the Stewards’ investigation, Montoya braked later than usual in an attempt to maintain his position. However, this late braking caused him to lose control of the rear of his car at the apex of the corner.
Video evidence played a crucial role in the Stewards’ decision-making process. They closely analysed the sequence leading up to the collision, while also summoning and hearing from both drivers as well as their respective team representatives. This thorough review helped the Stewards determine that Montoya was predominantly at fault for the contact.
Montoya in breach of International Sporting Code
The investigation revealed that just before Turn 1, Minì attempted an overtaking manoeuvre on Montoya around the outside line. At the safety car line 2, Minì was slightly ahead of Montoya, signalling a potential position change. However, Montoya braked later than Minì, aiming to retain his place. This late braking resulted in a loss of control at the corner apex, causing Montoya’s rear left tyre to collide with Minì’s right tyre and bodywork.
The Stewards cited a breach of Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 (d) of the FIA International Sporting Code, which relates to driving standards and causing avoidable collisions. Consequently, they applied a five-second time penalty in accordance with Article 39.3 (a) of the FIA F2 Sporting Regulations. Additionally, the Stewards added one penalty point to Montoya’s record for the 2025 season, marking his first penalty point of the year.
Montoya drops to P11 after penalty applied
The five-second time penalty directly affected Montoya’s 2025 F2 Spanish GP Sprint Race classification. While he initially crossed the finish line in fifth place, the penalty relegated him to 11th position in the final results. This significant drop underscores the severity of the infraction and highlights the importance of clean racing, especially during tight battles among teammates.
Montoya’s penalty did not only cost him valuable points but also altered the race’s finishing order for several drivers. As a result, drivers who originally finished behind Montoya moved up one position each, gaining a better classification without having to overtake on track.
