Gabriel Bortoleto received a 10-second time penalty for overtaking under a waved yellow flag during the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The incident took place between Turns 6 and 7 on the first lap following the initial Safety Car restart.
The stewards determined that Bortoleto passed Sergio Perez while yellow flags and physical Safety Car boards were displayed due to a collision involving Alpine teammates Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, as well as Lando Norris at Turn 1. Although Bortoleto’s team informed him that the Safety Car was not deployed and he did not see electronic Safety Car signals on his steering wheel, the stewards clarified that the overtake occurred under yellow flag conditions rather than Safety Car conditions.
Since the Safety Car was not officially deployed, the rules regarding overtaking under Safety Car conditions did not apply. However, the waved yellow flag still required drivers to refrain from overtaking. As a result, Bortoleto was penalized with a 10-second time addition, which dropped him from 13th to 15th place, placing him as the last classified finisher.
The incident highlights the importance of respecting yellow flag signals regardless of other communications or a driver’s interpretation of the situation. The stewards emphasized that compliance with waved yellow flags is mandatory to ensure safety on track, even if the Safety Car is not in operation.
This ruling affected several teams involved in the context of the incident, including Audi, Cadillac, Alpine, and McLaren. Drivers Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Lando Norris, and Nico Hulkenberg were also part of the scenario surrounding the yellow flag infringement.
Bortoleto’s penalty serves as a reminder of the strict enforcement of safety regulations during race conditions. While the Safety Car was not deployed, the presence of yellow flags due to the earlier crash required all drivers to exercise caution and avoid overtaking until the track was declared safe.
The decision underlines the stewards’ commitment to maintaining clear standards for on-track behaviour, particularly in complex situations where multiple signals and incidents overlap. It also reinforces that drivers must adhere to flag signals independently of team communications or personal judgment during such moments.