Rules & penalties · Updated for 2026
F1 drive-through penalties explained
Why a driver must pass through the pit lane without stopping and how much time it costs.
Quick answer
A drive-through penalty requires the driver to enter the pit lane, obey its speed limit and rejoin without stopping for normal service. The slow transit creates the sporting penalty.
How it is served
The car crosses pit entry, travels down the lane at controlled speed and exits back onto the circuit. Stopping in the garage does not automatically replace the required procedure.
The time loss
The cost depends on pit-lane length and speed limit, so the same sanction can be more expensive at one circuit than another.
Timing and neutralisations
The regulations specify when the penalty must be served and how Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car periods affect service. Teams follow the formal FIA notification rather than relying on broadcast timing.