Verstappen Slammed: FIA Delivers Harsh Verdict Over ‘Dangerous’ M…read more
Verstappen Slammed: FIA Delivers Harsh Verdict Over ‘Dangerous’ Miami Incident
Max Verstappen has been hit with an official penalty after the FIA concluded its investigation into a controversial on-track incident during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix. The ruling, described by insiders as one of the toughest so far this season, accuses the reigning world champion of “reckless and dangerous” behavior.
The Dutch driver came under scrutiny for an aggressive block on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in SQ2, which stewards said endangered both cars and violated clear racing conduct guidelines. After a detailed review of footage and team telemetry, the FIA handed Verstappen a three-place grid penalty for the Sprint Race and issued a formal warning to Red Bull Racing for “failure to control driver actions during critical sessions.”
In their official statement, the FIA declared: “The maneuver executed by Car 1 was deemed unnecessarily aggressive, posing a risk to both competitors. The action breached Article 33.4 regarding safe driving and will result in a three-place demotion on the Sprint grid.”
Verstappen was visibly frustrated when informed of the penalty, saying, “I don’t agree with this at all. It was hard racing — nothing more. If this is what the sport’s becoming, we’re heading in the wrong direction.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also blasted the decision: “We’ve seen far worse go unpunished. It feels targeted. Max races hard, but fair — this is overly harsh.”
The penalty pushes Verstappen from P4 to P7 on the Sprint grid, a significant setback as title rivals from Ferrari and Mercedes lock out the front rows.
The verdict has lit up the paddock, with tensions rising ahead of Saturday’s Sprint Race. Some teams praised the FIA’s firm stance, while others questioned the consistency of race officiating.
With Verstappen fired up and out for redemption, Miami’s Sprint Race is now poised for fireworks.
