Red Bull and McLaren are the latest teams to head to the stewards’ office at Suzuka, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri investigated for failing to follow the race director’s note in FP3.

Verstappen and Piastri allegedly jumped the queue after a red flag in FP3 as they went to practice a start.

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Saturday’s final practice was red-flagged for several minutes as marshals extinguished a grass fire at Turn 12. Having already lost half a session on Friday with four red flags in FP2, the drivers queued at the end of the pit lane for the restart.

Verstappen and Piastri bypassed the queue as they went to practice a start.

“McLaren jumped the queue,” reported Lewis Hamilton, who was given a warning for the same infringement on Friday, while Carlos Sainz questioned whether their antics were “allowed”.

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Under item 11 of the Race Directors’ notes, it reads: “Any car(s) driven to the end of the pit lane prior to the start or re-start of a free practice session, qualifying session must form up in a line in the fast lane and leave in the order they got there.

“It is noted that a car will be considered to be “in the fast lane” when a tyre has crossed the solid white line separating the fast lane from the inner lane – in this context crossing means that all of a tyre should be beyond the far side, with respect to the garages, of the line separating the fast lane from the inner lane.

“For the avoidance of doubt, ISC Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 5b) states that: ‘Once a car has left its garage or pit stop position, it should blend into the fast lane as soon as it is safe to do so, and without unnecessarily impeding cars which are already in the fast lane.

“Thus, after the start or re-start of a free practice session, qualifying session, if there is a suitable gap in a queue of cars in the fast lane, such that a driver can blend into the fast lane safely and without unnecessarily impeding cars already in the fast lane, they are free to do so.

“Furthermore, it is noted that during a free practice session and qualifying session a car driving in the inner lane, parallel to the fast lane, will not be considered to have blended into the fast lane at the earliest opportunity.

“Additionally, ISC Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 5d) states that: Cars in either the fast lane or working lane may not overtake other cars in the fast lane except in exceptional circumstances.

“In this context, a “stopped car” is one which has an obvious mechanical problem.”

Verstappen and Piastri were both noted for the “alleged breach of Article 12.2.1 i) of the International Sporting Code and non compliance with Race Director’s Event Note (item 11, document 22)”.

Williams and Carlos Sainz joined them in the queue for the stewards’ office with Sainz found guilty of speeding in the pit lane.

“Car 55 exceeded the pit lane speed limit which is set at 80 km/h for this event by 13.7 km/h,” read the FIA ruling as Williams were hit with a €1000 fine.

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