F1 drivers handed potential Mexico City GP penalty warning by FIA stewards

FIA stewards have issued a direct warning to all the F1 drivers over how track limits and lasting advantage will be judged on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The notice targets the notoriously chaotic Turns 1 to 3 complex and the Turns 4 to 6 sequence at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez, both regular flashpoints for off-track excursions and grass cuts on opening laps and safety car restarts.

In a message to all teams and drivers, the stewards made clear that any car running wide in those zones and holding position over a rival close behind will be treated as having gained a lasting advantage, unless the place is handed back by specific reference points further on the lap.

The communication from the stewards read: "Applicable for this event, on Lap 1 and the first lap after any resumption, in Turns 1 to 3, and Turns 4 to 6, all cars will, by default, be considered as both attacking and defending.

"Thus, in line with existing guidelines, any car leaving the track in these areas and maintaining a position to a car or cars within close proximity behind (as determined by the stewards) may be considered as gaining a lasting advantage, unless such position is yielded by Turn 4 [in the case of a car leaving the track in the area of Turn 1 to 3], or by Turn 12 [in the case of a car leaving the track in the area of Turns 4 to 6.]."

The tricky Turn 1, following the long run into it from the start, has repeatedly tested stewards' patience. With the stewards now setting explicit rejoin thresholds for this weekend, the margin for ambiguity appears narrower than in previous years at the venue.