Breaking:Max Verstappen Receives 10-Second Penalty After Pit Lane Collision in Miami GP Sprint…read more
Max Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty after Red Bull released him into Kimi Antonelli’s path during a pit stop, causing a collision.
Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has been handed a 10-second time penalty following a pit lane incident during the Miami Grand Prix sprint race. The Dutch driver, who has won the world title four times, found himself in hot water after a collision that occurred while switching from wet to dry tyres as the track began drying.
The incident took place on lap 13 of the sprint session, as the Miami International Autodrome’s conditions shifted from wet to dry. Verstappen, along with several other drivers, headed to the pits to change tyres. However, during his stop, the Red Bull team released him into the path of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, resulting in a collision as Verstappen exited his pit box.
The contact led to debris, including bits of carbon fibre, scattering across the pit lane. The commentary team expressed confusion over Red Bull’s call to release Verstappen at that moment, especially given the proximity of Antonelli’s car in the fast lane.
Although the incident didn’t immediately trigger a race interruption, a safety car was deployed just one lap later, unrelated to the pit lane collision. On lap 14, Fernando Alonso lost control and hit the wall, prompting the deployment of the safety car, under which the race eventually concluded.
During the final laps under the safety car, race stewards confirmed that Verstappen would receive a 10-second time penalty for the unsafe release, a violation of Article 34.14 a) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations. The penalty had significant consequences, dropping Verstappen down the order from a potential points-scoring position to P17 at the finish.
The FIA released an official document later in the afternoon explaining the reasoning behind the penalty. According to the stewards’ report, video footage and in-car camera reviews confirmed that Verstappen’s Red Bull was let go into the path of Antonelli’s Mercedes, which was already moving through the fast lane. The resulting collision was deemed the direct result of the unsafe release by Red Bull.
Despite the infraction, Verstappen was spared from receiving any penalty points on his super licence. The stewards emphasized that the Dutchman had made every effort to avoid the collision once he was released, and therefore no further action against the driver was warranted.
“Car 1 [Verstappen] was released into the path of Car 12 [Antonelli], which was arriving in the fast lane, causing a collision of the two cars,” the official statement read. “The Stewards acknowledge that the driver did everything he could to avoid the incident and therefore no penalty points are issued in this case.”
The decision, while sparing Verstappen from long-term consequences, effectively removed him from contention in the sprint, as the 10-second penalty saw him tumble down the order. It also raised questions about Red Bull’s pit lane strategy during mixed conditions and added to the ongoing scrutiny of team decisions in high-pressure scenarios.
As the Miami Grand Prix weekend continues, the penalty could have implications for Verstappen’s mindset and Red Bull’s approach to future pit strategies, particularly in unpredictable weather conditions. The team will likely review the incident closely to avoid similar situations going forward.
