In Formula 1, regulations cover everything from the flexibility of wings, to how long mechanics should spend at the track, to how much time teams spend in the wind tunnel. Once the cars are racing, the regulations continue to pile on — from track limits to moving for slower cars — for which the rule-breakers often need to serve their time during the race or suffer a more serious penalty, such as starting from the pit lane.
Teams often take the brunt of the offenses seen during a race weekend, ranging from grid penalties to financial fines to be paid by the team. If a specific code of conduct isn’t followed, teams are most often held responsible. For example, if a driver isn’t notified in time that a faster car is approaching (during free practice or qualifying), or mechanics leave the grid too late before a Grand Prix, it is the teams who are fined, penalized, or sanctioned.
