McLaren hit with FIA penalty after Norris summons in Monaco

The McLaren driver endured a frustrating Friday around the streets of Monte Carlo. After finishing sixth in the opening practice session, Norris was aiming to build momentum in FP2, traditionally the most representative session of the weekend. However, his run came to an abrupt halt just 15 minutes into the session when his McLaren suffered a sudden loss of power.

Exiting the tunnel and approaching the Nouvelle Chicane, Norris’s car slowed dramatically before coming to a complete stop on track, triggering a brief halt and ending his participation in the session. Early indications pointed to a potential power unit issue, although McLaren did not immediately confirm the exact cause.

While marshals worked to recover the stranded car, a separate issue emerged that drew the attention of the FIA. According to an official document, Norris was summoned to the stewards for an alleged breach of Article C9.3 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations.

The report stated that when the car stopped on track, marshals activated the Car Disable System (CDS), a safety feature designed to isolate electrical systems and allow the vehicle to be handled safely. However, it was later found that the CDS did not operate as required under the regulations.

Following a review, the McLaren outfit were fined €30,000, with €10,000 suspended for a period of 12 months, provided there are no further breaches of the same regulation. The fine follows a similar one that was handed to Liam Lawson and the Racing Bulls team after a similar incident at the Canadian Grand Prix.

While Norris was forced to retire from the second practice session due to a technical failure, there was little for the Woking-based outfit to smile about overall. Teammate Oscar Piastri could manage only seventh, albeit with a lap time more than a second off the benchmark 1:13.026 set by Lewis Hamilton in the Scuderia Ferrari.