Glossary / General

drive-through penalty

11 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

A drive-through penalty means you have to go through the pit lane without stopping, following the speed limit. It’s a time penalty that usually drops you back in the field. It’s used to punish rule-breaking like an early start.

Technical Definition

A drive-through penalty requires the driver to pass through the pit lane at the regulated speed without stopping. It costs time and track position, and it’s often used for start-line offences or other race incidents. The host notes that in this situation it’s effectively similar to other penalty outcomes because the advantage is already taken.

Hear It Discussed

"within the first lap they like made them do a drive through penalty and up at the back of the pack yeah he went from first to last in one lap"
Project Car Fixation Auto Off Topic 09:33

"It was a drive through for it seems mad to me that being out of grid boxes, [475.0s] five, but if you were to slightly jump the start, it is a drive through [478.4s] because both are effectively..."
DONINGTON PARK BTCC 2026 QUALIFYING REVIEW BTCP British Touring Car Podcast 07:50

"So then Pillow makes a pit road speed violation, gets a drive-through ⁓ penalty."
Indycar News in 5 Minutes - Road America Review - Indycar Dad Podcast Ep. 36 The Indycar Dad Podcast 01:16