Breaking:Max Verstappen Faces Possible FIA Penalty After Sprint Qualifying Clash at M…read more
Breaking:Max Verstappen Faces Possible FIA Penalty After Sprint Qualifying Clash at M…read more
Max Verstappen could be hit with a late penalty at the Miami Grand Prix after being summoned by Formula 1 stewards over an incident that occurred during sprint qualifying on Friday. The reigning world champion is under investigation following a potential breach of racing regulations in a tense moment with McLaren’s Lando Norris during the first segment of qualifying (SQ1).
The controversy unfolded when Verstappen’s Red Bull appeared to impede Norris on his flying lap. The British driver expressed frustration over team radio, accusing the Dutchman of blocking him at a critical point of his run. Although the FIA’s official statement does not name Norris directly, it confirms that Verstappen and a Red Bull team representative have been called to explain themselves in front of the stewards.
The summons relates to a possible violation of Article 33.4 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which mandates that drivers must not drive “unnecessarily slowly” in a way that could be considered dangerous to others on the track. Verstappen is also being investigated under Article 12.2.1 i) of the International Sporting Code, which covers general sporting misconduct.
This isn’t the first time Verstappen has faced scrutiny under this regulation. At the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, he was handed a one-place grid penalty for driving too slowly in front of Mercedes’ George Russell during qualifying. However, since neither driver was on a flying lap at the time, the stewards issued a relatively lenient penalty. Had either car been on a hot lap, Verstappen could have been handed a more severe three-place grid drop.
Despite the tension, Norris managed to progress through all three stages of sprint qualifying and will line up third on the grid for Saturday’s sprint race — one position ahead of Verstappen, who starts fourth.
As of now, the stewards have not issued a final decision, but any penalty could impact Verstappen’s starting position and strategy for both the sprint and Sunday’s main race.
