Audi has notified the FIA of its intention to appeal the decision that allowed Yuki Tsunoda to retain 10th place at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, potentially putting the final points-paying position at Monza back into question.
The dispute centres on the restart following Charles Leclerc’s heavy lap-two crash, which brought out the red flag while barrier repairs were completed.
As the field formed up for the standing restart, Tsunoda initially approached the wrong side of the grid before changing direction and placing his Racing Bulls in the correct 14th-place grid box.
Race Director Rui Marques was uncomfortable with the way the car had approached and settled into position and ordered another formation lap rather than starting the race. Formula 1 confirmed Audi’s intention to appeal following the stewards’ decision.
Why Audi believes the regulations matter
Article B5.9.4 of the 2026 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations states that a driver responsible for causing an additional formation lap must enter the pit lane at the end of that lap and start from there.
A driver who fails to do so faces a Stop-and-Go Penalty. The relevant wording is contained in the FIA’s 2026 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
Tsunoda did neither. He completed the additional formation lap, returned to the grid and participated in the restart normally.
After the race, however, the stewards decided to take no further action.
Their reasoning centred on an important distinction: while Tsunoda’s positioning led Race Control to order the extra lap, the stewards concluded that the additional formation lap resulted from the Race Director’s assessment of the situation rather than being directly caused by Tsunoda.
They also determined that Tsunoda had ultimately positioned his car correctly within his grid box.
Racing Bulls was never told Tsunoda was responsible
There is another complication behind the decision.
Race Control did not advise Racing Bulls that Car 22 was considered responsible for the additional formation lap.
That matters because the team would have needed to know that Article B5.9.4 applied in order to instruct Tsunoda to enter the pit lane rather than return to the grid.
The stewards therefore concluded that Racing Bulls had no reasonable basis to issue that instruction and said they could not impose the resulting Stop-and-Go Penalty.
They also suggested the FIA may need a clearer procedure for informing teams when one of their drivers has caused an additional formation lap.
Audi challenges the interpretation
Audi has now questioned that application of the regulation and notified the FIA of its intention to appeal.
The consequences are potentially significant because Gabriel Bortoleto finished immediately behind Tsunoda in 11th, with team-mate Nico Hülkenberg 12th.
Tsunoda currently retains the single World Championship point awarded for 10th place. Depending on how the FIA appeal process develops, the final Italian Grand Prix classification could therefore still change.
Audi has said it will make no further comment while the matter is subject to the FIA process.
What happens next?
An intention to appeal is not the same as a completed appeal. Audi must now follow the FIA’s formal process before the case can progress further.
If the challenge proceeds and succeeds, the final Monza classification could be revised. Until then, Tsunoda remains classified 10th, with Bortoleto 11th and Hülkenberg 12th.
Tech Torque Media’s Italian Grand Prix race report currently reflects the post-race classification, while our 2026 Italian Grand Prix hub brings together the wider Monza weekend coverage.
Tech Torque Verdict
Audi’s challenge raises a more interesting issue than one World Championship point.
Article B5.9.4 appears straightforward when a driver clearly causes an additional formation lap, but Monza has exposed a procedural gap between Race Control making that decision and the affected team knowing that the regulation has been triggered.
The stewards effectively acknowledged that problem themselves.
Whether Audi can overturn the result remains to be seen, but the case could ultimately force the FIA to clarify how teams are notified during aborted or delayed starts — while leaving Tsunoda’s 10th place at Monza uncertain in the meantime.
