Red Bull cleared of red flag infringement, Hadjar keeps podium” src=”https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2026/06/XPB_1415403_HiRes.jpg” />
Isack Hadjar has kept his podium finish in Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix after his Red Bull team was cleared of a technical infringement.
The Frenchman’s third place finish in the Monte Carlo was put in doubt after his squad was investigated for an alleged technical infringement.
Following the red flag that was called due to the track surface breaking up at the final corner, Red Bull set about working on Hadjar’s car to try to cure a power unit problem he had been battling during the grand prix.
To help solve his problems, Red Bull mechanics attempted to change the spark plugs/coils on Hadjar’s engine but, following intervention from the FIA, it did not proceed with the change in the end.
The changing of spark plugs is outside of allowances that are permitted in the technical regulations during red flag stoppages – which includes the repair and replacement of genuine accident damage.
But following discussions with the race stewards on Sunday night, and photo evidence presented to the FIA, it was confirmed that Red Bull had not actually changed anything on the car.
The stewards stated that as “the car started in the same condition as it arrived in the pits… no further action is taken.”
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies explained that his squad had backed away from changing anything once the FIA had communicated what it was and was not allowed to do.
“There was a fair amount of confusion there, but we were trying to rectify the issue and we got instructed to leave the car as such, which we did,” he said.
Mekies did not offer any further details about whether the new spark plugs were fitted and then replaced, or were never slotted in in the first place.
“I will need to go through the sequence, but they [the FIA] made clear to us that they would like us to leave the original components.”
