Antonelli and Leclerc summoned by FIA stewards after Barcelona FP3 incidents

Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc will face FIA scrutiny after separate incidents in the closing stages of the third and final practice session at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Antonelli under investigation after disrupted final run

Antonelli’s session ended with frustration as his final push lap was compromised when he encountered traffic. The interruption left him seventh on the timesheets, at a moment when Mercedes otherwise showed clear pace through George Russell, who topped the session.

In practice sessions, the final minutes are often the most congested, with drivers trying to position themselves for representative laps. In this case, Antonelli’s compromised run and the alleged erratic driving incident have combined to put his FP3 ending firmly under the FIA spotlight.

Leclerc also called over Hulkenberg incident

Leclerc, meanwhile, will be examined over a possible impeding case involving Nico Hulkenberg at Turn 5. The Ferrari driver finished inside the top three, placed between the two McLarens, but his strong classification does not remove the need for a stewards’ explanation.

The timing of the incident is significant within the context provided by the session itself: it came in the dying moments of FP3, when track position can become especially delicate as drivers prepare for their last attempts. The stewards will now assess whether Leclerc’s actions affected Hulkenberg in a manner requiring further action.

Stroll pit-lane speeding fine confirmed

There was also a separate pit-lane infringement for Lance Stroll. The Aston Martin driver was recorded speeding in the pit lane by 5.9kph, resulting in a €600 fine for the team.

With Antonelli and Leclerc both required to visit the stewards, the final practice hour in Barcelona has carried consequences beyond the timing screens. The immediate question is whether either case leads to further action, or whether both drivers can move on after providing their explanations.