Verstappen Penalized Twice at the Mexican GP: What Happened?

Verstappen Penalized Twice at the Mexican GP: What Happened?

During the Mexican Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was handed two penalties following a clash with McLaren’s Lando Norris. The penalties stemmed from incidents that took place when Verstappen made an aggressive move after Norris rejoined the track ahead of him.

Norris Returns Ahead, But Let Leclerc By

Initially, Norris re-entered the track in front of Verstappen after briefly overtaking Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Realizing the unintended overtake, Norris let Leclerc pass him again to restore the order.

Verstappen’s Aggressive Retaliation Move

A few corners later, Verstappen attempted an ambitious move against Norris. He overtook Norris on the inside at the entrance of a left-hander, but the move forced both cars off-track into the run-off area.

Why Verstappen Received Another 10-Second Penalty

The stewards issued Verstappen a second penalty of 10 seconds for going off track while overtaking and gaining an advantage. According to the rules, as he was passing Norris on the inside, Verstappen was required to stay on the track. This differed from the incident in Austin, where Norris had been overtaking from the outside, so the same requirement did not apply.

These penalties resulted in a tough outcome for Verstappen, impacting his standing in the race and adding to the eventful day on the Mexican circuit.