Alpine Driver Jack Doohan Faces Strict Penalty for Pit Lane Breach

In a surprising turn of events, Alpine racer Jack Doohan found himself in hot water during the final practice session before the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Australian driver’s indiscretion? Crossing the painted area between the track and pit entrance on two occasions, which officials deemed a breach of Formula 1’s sporting code.

First Infringement Warned, Second Invites Stricter Penalty

In the third free practice session, Doohan first crossed the white line that divides the pit entry from the race track early on. Stewards issued him a warning for his initial infraction, reminding him that “no part of the tyre must cross the line in any direction” as clearly stated in the event notes.

Later in the session, Doohan repeated his mistake by crossing the white line again. This time, he was investigated by the stewards for breaching F1’s international sporting code. Given that it was his second infringement, the penalty was more severe.

The Aftermath: A Reprimand for Disregarding Race Director’s Instructions

After being found to have disregarded the race director’s event notes, which were issued ahead of the grand prix, Doohan was handed a reprimand by the stewards. This is one of the lowest penalties that stewards can impose over a race weekend and usually follows a warning for breaches such as exceeding track limits.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time a rookie has been caught out crossing the white line between the track and pitlane. Yesterday, Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson also received a reprimand for crossing the white line on two occasions.

A grid drop or further punishment may be imposed if a driver accumulates four reprimands in a session. Let’s hope that these incidents serve as a reminder to all drivers about the importance of adhering to the rules and regulations of Formula 1.