The FIA decided not to impose any penalties on Gabriel Bortoleto, Alex Albon, and Valtteri Bottas for the multi-car crash that took the three drivers out of the Singapore Grand Prix Sprint. After reviewing the incident, the stewards concluded that any penalty would have no effect on the starting grid.
The crash occurred at the end of the sixth lap, as the drivers were preparing to restart the race following a safety-car period. Bortoleto slowed down behind Fernando Alonso at Turn 16, the circuit’s final chicane, and was hit by Albon, who was right behind. Bottas could not avoid contact with the Williams car and also crashed.
After the race, the three were summoned by FIA officials to provide explanations. According to the official report, Albon stated that he had no way to avoid the rear impact on the Audi car, as Bortoleto braked sharply to avoid a collision with the cars ahead.
In the stewards’ assessment, the accident was triggered by the accordion effect in the line of cars, with differences in how drivers slowed down before the restart. As Albon and Bottas were further back in the pack, the impact of this variation was even more pronounced for the two, according to the official document.
Nevertheless, the stewards considered that Albon could have avoided the initial impact if he had anticipated the risk of a sudden deceleration and left more room for Bortoleto, especially given the wet track conditions. If the Williams driver had not retired from the Sprint as a result of the crash, he would have received a five-second penalty instead of the usual ten seconds.
This decision not to impose penalties took into account that other cars also contributed to the accordion effect. Since a five-second penalty would not translate into a loss of positions on the grid, the stewards chose not to apply any penalties to any of the three involved.
