Max Verstappen Hit with Another Penalty in Brazil

Max Verstappen received yet another penalty from the stewards during the Brazilian Grand Prix, bringing his total to three penalties across two weekends, amounting to 25 seconds. The latest infraction was a five-second penalty for gaining an unfair advantage by accelerating too early at the end of the virtual safety car (VSC) phase during the sprint race at Interlagos. This action brought him close to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri as he battled for second place behind race winner Lando Norris.

As a result of the penalty, Norris’s lead in the championship standings decreased from 47 points at the start of the day to 44 while there are still 132 points available in the remaining races. Verstappen’s penalty dropped him from third to fourth place allowing Piastri to secure second and moving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc up to third. The stewards explained their decision, stating, “The driver was 0.63 seconds below the minimum time at VSC End when the FIA light panels changed to green.

This indicates a sporting advantage gained under VSC.” Verstappen argued that he tried to correct his timing as he awaited the end of the VSC but he failed to do so before the lights turned green. The stewards deemed this a breach of the rules and imposed the standard penalty for the advantage gained during that time.

Additionally, Max Verstappen received a penalty point on his super licence, bringing his total to seven for the year. Accumulating 12 points would result in a race ban. Qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix is set to take place today at 6 PM GMT and the ongoing penalties raise questions about Verstappen’s performance as the championship race continues.