BREAKING NEWS:Max Verstappen Rages over FIA hidden pe…Read more
Verstappen unaware of safety car penalty at British GP
Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen has revealed he was left in the dark over a disputed penalty handed out during the 2025 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Verstappen, who had started from pole on July 6, confirmed he was never directly told by the FIA about the safety car penalty which would go on to decide the race outcome.
During a crucial safety car restart on lap 21, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri braked hard ahead of Verstappen—leaving him to react sharply and then spin, dropping from second to ninth. The FIA then sanctioned a 10‑second penalty on Piastri for dangerous driving under safety car conditions soon after. While the stewards moved fast, Verstappen said he was entirely oblivious to the decision at the time.
“I was just driving, trying to keep it together,” Verstappen said in a terse post-race media briefing. “Then suddenly I’m judgmentally spinning, penalty handed out—it was all a bit cryptic to me.” Despite his spin being attributed by the team to handling woes and wet grip, Verstappen maintained that the lack of transparency hindered his response during the event ().
The undercut, by Piastri on his next pit stop, removed him from top spot contention to second on the road, but ultimately gave teammate Lando Norris the lead. Norris went on to take his first Silverstone victory in front of massive crowds, while experienced Nico Hülkenberg finally claimed a well-deserved podium in third position .
The incident left Verstappen visibly angry—not just at what had happened, but at the open process. His experience has served to emphasize drivers’ growing expectations of clearer, realtime communication from the FIA amidst high-pressure race incidents.
