Better late than never is a pretty common saying. Unfortunately for Williams, the FIA doesn’t appear to like that saying very much, having fined Williams for being just three seconds late during practice for the United States Grand Prix.
You read correctly, the Williams team received a fine of €10,000 for missing the deadline to return a set of Felipe Massa’s tyres, by only three seconds. This rule violation is the second of this type that Williams has committed this season.
All teams are supposed to return one set of tyres for each driver after the first 40 minutes of the first free practice session. Williams failed to do so at the United States Grand Prix, showing up three seconds late. The team was also late at the Belgian Grand Prix, caused largely by the confusion from the red flag.
The FIA has agreed to suspend the fine, meaning that the team will not have to pay it unless they commit another rule violation. However, the FIA have stressed that the rules are the rules, no matter how small of an infraction.
