FIA launches Valtteri Bottas investigation after Azerbaijan GP incident

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas is under investigation by the FIA stewards for allegedly overtaking under yellow flag conditions during FP1 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Bottas was classified in 22nd place in the opening practice session in Baku as Mercedes driver George Russell set the pace.

Valtteri Bottas under FIA investigation at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The Finnish driver’s fastest time was almost two seconds slower than the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 21st.

Bottas has found himself under investigation by the FIA stewards after FP1 for allegedly overtaking under yellow flags during the session.

Bottas and a Cadillac team representative are required to report to the stewards at 13:50 local time in Baku.

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Bottas’s summons comes after an eventful opening practice session in Azerbaijan.

A number of drivers – including Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, as well as Oscar Piastri and Alex Albon – reported pulling under braking in the early stages of the session.

The brakes of Albon’s Williams teammate Carlos Sainz caught fire in the pit lane, with Hadjar sidelined after reporting a “broken engine” over team radio.

Mercedes driver and F1 2026 championship leader Kimi Antonelli stopped after reporting a hydraulics issue over team radio.

Meanwhile, the McLaren pair of Piastri and reigning world champion Lando Norris were also left in the garage for long stretches of the session after the upgraded MCL40s sustained damage.

Cadillac remains the only team yet to score a point in the F1 2026 season entering the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Bottas claimed the team’s best result by finishing 13th at the second race in China in March.

Cadillac’s poor results and patchy reliability record led to the team parting ways with team principal Graeme Lowdon during the summer break.

Lowdon was replaced by Marcin Budkowski, the former Renault/Alpine executive.

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