F1 champion calls for Max Verstappen DISQUALIFICATION

F1 champion calls for Max Verstappen DISQUALIFICATION following…read more

During the Spanish Grand Prix, a major controversy erupted involving reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen and former 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg. Rosberg, now a prominent F1 pundit, publicly criticized Verstappen’s on-track behavior and went as far as to call for the Red Bull driver’s disqualification. Rosberg’s comments came in response to a dramatic incident between Verstappen and Mercedes driver George Russell that unfolded shortly after a safety car period during the race.

The incident occurred when the race resumed following a safety car intervention. Verstappen and Russell engaged in a heated battle for position, but tensions escalated when they made contact not once, but twice within a few laps. The first collision happened right after the restart, going into Turn 1, where the two drivers clashed wheels in an aggressive maneuver. It appeared that Verstappen had deliberately driven into Russell, which sparked outrage from both fans and pundits alike.

Following the initial contact, Red Bull team radio instructed Verstappen to hand the position back to Russell in an attempt to prevent the stewards from issuing a harsher penalty. Despite this effort, the Dutch driver was eventually handed a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision—an indication that the stewards viewed his actions as worthy of disciplinary action, though not severe enough to impact his overall race finish significantly.

Nico Rosberg, however, believed the penalty did not go far enough. He insisted that Verstappen’s move was reckless and dangerous and argued that it warranted a black flag—a rare and severe sanction in Formula 1 that leads to immediate disqualification from the race. Rosberg emphasized that intentional or overly aggressive driving that leads to avoidable contact, especially when it endangers another driver, should not be tolerated in the sport.

Adding to the drama, the incident came amid a race weekend already rife with headlines. Another F1 driver had been ruled out of the Spanish Grand Prix entirely, heightening media attention on the grid. Meanwhile, Verstappen added fuel to the fire post-race with a cryptic and puzzling statement, leaving many to question his mindset and motives during the clash with Russell.

As the F1 community debates the severity of Verstappen’s actions and whether the penalty issued was appropriate, Rosberg’s bold stance underscores a broader conversation about racing ethics and the enforcement of sporting regulations at the highest level.