ELEVEN DRIVERS PENALISED AFTER CHAOTIC FORMULA 3 QUALIFYING AT SPA
The FIA has handed out penalties to 11 drivers following a chaotic Formula 3 qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps. After a rain-affected session that ended early because of a red flag, the stewards investigated several incidents involving drivers slowing on the racing line, weaving and causing a collision.
The biggest group of penalties was given for driving unnecessarily slowly on the racing line. Championship leader Ugo Ugochukwu, Taito Kato, Louis Sharp, Théophile Naël, James Wharton, Jin Nakamura, Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi, and Gerrard Xie have all received three-place grid penalties for both the Sprint Race and the Feature Race. The stewards ruled that their driving created dangerous situations as drivers prepared for their final qualifying laps.
Ugochukwu and Xie were given an additional three-place grid penalty for both races after leaving the circuit without a justifiable reason and gaining positions in the qualifying queue before rejoining. The FIA considered this a breach of the sporting regulations and imposed a second sanction on both drivers.
José Garfias and Bruno del Pino were also penalised after being found guilty of weaving during qualifying. Both drivers received three-place grid penalties for the Sprint and Feature races.
Noah Strømsted was handed a three-place grid penalty for both races after being judged responsible for the collision that brought qualifying to an early end. The crash, involving several cars, triggered the red flag that prevented the field from completing any further flying laps.
The penalties significantly change the starting grids for the Spa weekend and could have a major impact on the championship battle. Ugo Ugochukwu, who arrived in Belgium leading the standings, will lose valuable track position in both races, while title rivals such as Freddie Slater could benefit after securing pole position in qualifying. With only a handful of rounds remaining in the 2026 season, every point has become increasingly important, making these penalties even more significant.
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