How Audi's FIA appeal could reshape both F1 championships months later

The dispute concerns an incident involving Tsunoda during September's race at Monza, where the Racing Bulls driver finished tenth to secure the final championship point.

The case centres on Article B5.9.4 of the 2026 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, which requires a driver responsible for an additional formation lap to start from the pit lane. Tsunoda initially approached the wrong grid position during the restart following Charles Leclerc's crash, before correcting his direction and stopping at an angle within his assigned grid box.

Audi, whose drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg finished immediately behind him, challenged the stewards' handling of the incident, with the matter subsequently referred to the FIA's International Court of Appeal.

Race director Rui Marques subsequently ordered another formation lap, but the stewards decided against penalising Tsunoda. They concluded that the additional lap resulted from the race director's precautionary decision rather than directly from the Japanese driver's actions. They also noted that Racing Bulls had not been informed that Tsunoda was considered responsible, leaving the team without an opportunity to instruct him to start from the pit lane.

The hearing is scheduled for 25 November in Paris, meaning the outcome could alter the official results long after the chequered flag fell. Although the original classification remains valid for now, a decision in Audi's favour could have consequences extending beyond the Italian Grand Prix itself, particularly in the battle for positions further down the constructors' championship.

The central issue is whether Tsunoda should receive a stop-and-go penalty, which would translate into a 30-second time penalty if applied retrospectively. The Japanese driver originally finished 58 seconds behind race winner Kimi Antonelli, but the additional time would increase that gap to 88 seconds and potentially drop him from tenth to fifteenth in the final classification.

Such a change would promote Bortoleto into tenth position, handing the Brazilian an additional championship point. Hulkenberg would move up to eleventh, while Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson and Oliver Bearman would each gain one position. Tsunoda, meanwhile, would lose the point he earned at Monza, leaving him without a championship point for the season.

The potential revision would also affect the internal battle at Audi. Bortoleto currently has 14 points, level with teammate Hulkenberg, but an additional point would move him to 15 and give him the advantage in their championship contest. It would represent a significant development for the Brazilian, despite neither driver having competed in another race to secure the change.

The consequences would extend to the constructors' championship, where Audi would gain one point and Racing Bulls would lose one. Audi's tally would increase from 28 to 29 points, while the revised result would reduce Racing Bulls' total by one, creating a two-point swing between the teams without another lap being completed.

The FIA's International Court of Appeal will examine the case behind closed doors on 25 November, with its verdict to be published afterwards. Until then, Tsunoda retains his tenth-place finish and the championship point earned at Monza.