Glossary / General

five-second penalty

8 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

In racing, if a driver breaks a rule, they can get a time penalty. A five-second penalty means they have to wait an extra five seconds before continuing the race, which can hurt their chances of winning.

Technical Definition

A five-second penalty is a common sanction in motorsport where a driver must serve a time penalty during a pit stop or at the end of the race. It is usually given for infractions such as unsafe driving or causing collisions.

Hear It Discussed

"...he got the five-second penalty, you know, I thought Cooper just turned down, whether he was unaware or he was trying to take position..."
The Motorsport Brief | Shane van Gisbergen's Nascar journey, Bathurst thoughts and Q&A! Rusty's Garage 11:49

"Adam Orgram was also given a five-second penalty for a quote, a lesser in discretion, which makes very little sense to me."
DONINGTON PARK BTCC 2026 REVIEW BTCP British Touring Car Podcast 09:17

"So Lewis Hamilton at Singapore got a five-second penalty for doing what I believe is very similar to what Charles Leclerc did."
Miami GP Driver Ratings P1 with Matt and Tommy 33:05