The team was penalised for “failing to follow the instructions of relevant officials” after a mechanic re-entered the grid area once the formation lap had begun — an act now revealed to be linked to an attempt to remove a piece of tape McLaren had placed to help Lando Norris line up his car.
Multiple outlets have confirmed that the team member’s purpose in re-entering the grid was to remove or interfere with the tape, which is commonly used as a visual reference for drivers to align their cars correctly.
The tape is not prohibited under FIA regulations, nor is removing it technically illegal, but the incident has sparked debate over sportsmanship and the lengths teams are willing to go in Formula 1’s title fight.
McLaren has reportedly used the tape throughout the season, with Norris relying on it to ensure precise positioning in his grid box — a crucial detail given the limited visibility from the cockpit.
At Austin, his second-place grid slot was located alongside gate 1, where marshals were closing access to the track as the formation lap began.
According to stewards, the Red Bull mechanic “did not appear to react” to officials’ efforts to stop him entering the gate well area, prompting the post-race investigation.
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“The team representative stated during the hearing that the team member informed him that he was not aware of the efforts of the marshals to stop him,” read the stewards’ decision.
“However, the stewards determine that any person affiliated to a team or other stakeholders should be aware that entering the track or hindering the safety measures to prepare the track for the race after the grid has been cleared is absolutely prohibited.
Red Bull were fined €50,000 in Austin because one of their mechanics re-entered the track during the formation lap to try and remove Lando Norris’ reference tape for his grid spot 👀 pic.twitter.com/yAfATjOUzD
— Autosport (@autosport) October 20, 2025
“Thus, irrespective of whether or not the instructions of the relevant officials have been realized by the person concerned, hindering or delaying the process of closing the gates before the race start must be considered as an unsafe act and therefore a significant penalty to the team is warranted.”
Team principal Laurent Mekies described the situation as a “misunderstanding,” maintaining that Red Bull personnel had followed the marshals’ instructions at all times.
“We fully respect the stewards,” Mekies said.
“It was felt that some time during the grid procedures, one of our guys had not followed the officials or some marshal instructions.
“We spoke with our people. They are very positive that they have followed marshal instructions at all times, so I think it’s probably a misunderstanding there.
“For sure, it’s something we can do better in the future, but certainly on our side, we do not feel that we have ignored any instruction – we did not get any specific instructions.”
While the FIA viewed the matter strictly as a procedural and safety breach, the revelation that the incident centred on McLaren’s grid tape — and not a routine infringement — has intensified what has become known as “Tapegate.”
According to reports, Austin was not the first race where Red Bull had interfered with Norris’s grid marker, though this was the first time the team was formally caught.
The FIA has not opened a sporting investigation into the tape itself, as no rules were broken by either team in placing or removing it.
However, the scenario has raised questions about where the line should be drawn between competitive gamesmanship and unsporting conduct.
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