Ferrari and McLaren both collected fines before a single lap of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix took place. The FIA stewards confirmed a Monaco GP press conference fine of €5,000 against each constructor on Friday morning after Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris arrived late to Thursday’s mandatory media session. The incident forced formal stewards’ proceedings and pulled two of F1’s biggest teams into the hearing room before FP1 began.
The official Thursday press conference carried a 14:30 local start time on June 4 at Circuit de Monaco. The FIA placed Leclerc, Norris and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto in the opening group of three drivers. Both Ferrari and McLaren’s drivers showed up late and pushed the session behind schedule. Additionally, both cited prior commitments as their excuse. The stewards rejected that explanation and found no grounds for mitigation.
Consequently, the FIA summoned both drivers and their team representatives for Friday morning hearings. Leclerc faced the stewards at 10:00 local time. Norris followed at 10:10. Article 9.15.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code places full regulatory responsibility on teams for driver conduct at official events. The stewards applied that rule directly and confirmed the Monaco GP press conference fine against Ferrari and McLaren as constructors, not the drivers.
The ruling cited Article B10.1.1a of the FIA F1 Regulations alongside Articles 12.2.1.i and 12.2.1.p of the International Sporting Code. Furthermore, both fines carry a 12-month suspension from the date of the ruling. Neither team pays unless a repeat breach occurs within that window. However, any similar violation during that period triggers immediate enforcement and full payment by the constructor.
Norris arrives in Monaco as reigning world champion. He claimed his maiden title in Abu Dhabi last season and defended his 2025 victory at this circuit. Moreover, Leclerc carries the extra weight of racing as Monaco’s local hero. Both drivers rank among the leading pole contenders this weekend, making Friday’s stewards’ visit an unwelcome distraction before the real battle begins.
Meanwhile, the FIA enforced a near-identical situation in Austria in 2024. Max Verstappen arrived late to the Thursday conference that weekend. His team escaped punishment because they notified the FIA in advance about a traffic delay. Crucially, Ferrari and McLaren filed no such notice in Monaco. That omission closed every path to leniency and sealed the verdict before either hearing finished.
The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix runs through Sunday on the streets of Monte Carlo. The Monaco GP press conference fine carries no grid drop, no points deduction and no further sporting consequences. Both teams now direct full attention to the track, where the championship fight resumes under far higher stakes.
