Santiago Urrutia and Ma Qing Hua hit with ten-place grid penalties

Points leader Santiago Urrutia and Geely Cyan Racing team-mate Ma Qing Hua will start from the back of the grid in the first FIA TCR World Tour race of the weekend at Paul Ricard following a ten-place grid penalty each.

The two Geely drivers have been handed the penalty for having received three reprimands during the first two race weekends of 2026.

The sporting regulations state:

“Any driver who receives three reprimands in the same season, upon the imposition of the third
one, will be given a ten-place grid penalty at the driver’s next race.”

Both drivers have been reprimanded for warming the tyres on the way to the starting grid earlier in the season and crossing the white line into the pit exit.

The penalty stated:

“The driver of Car 181 has accrued 3 Reprimands (DI) for breaches of the applicable regulations. In accordance with Article 19.2 of the 2026 FIA TCR World Tour Sporting Regulations, a drop of 10 grid positions is imposed for the car 181 at the driver’s next race.

Due to operational reasons, the information was only available for the Stewards after Valencia event.

After discussing this matter extensively, the Stewards agreed to apply the penalty stated in the regulations at the driver’s next race in Paul Ricard.”

Urrutia will start Race 1 from 14th place instead of fifth and Ma from 15th place instead of ninth.