Shwartzman's five-place penalty: a race without a seat

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Mexico City – Israeli driver Robert Shwartzman has received a five-place Formula 1 grid penalty following Friday's first practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The penalty was issued despite Shwartzman not holding a race seat or having any immediate prospects of one.

The 25-year-old Ferrari reserve was serving obligations for Ferrari-powered Sauber by participating in the practice session as part of the team's requirement to field a young driver in two practice sessions during the season. During the session, Shwartzman was penalized for overtaking under yellow flags.

The Mexico City Grand Prix stewards confirmed the penalty, which will apply to the next F1 race in which Shwartzman participates.

"While the stewards recognise that the driver is not scheduled to start the race, they have applied the consistent penalty," officials stated.

This development adds an interesting layer to Shwartzman's career, as the likelihood of serving the penalty remains uncertain given his current position as a reserve driver.

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