FIA Announces Max Verstappen Penalty Points Verdict Following Miami GP Pit Lane I… read more
Following a dramatic sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, the FIA has confirmed that Max Verstappen will not be handed any penalty points on his Super Licence despite receiving a time penalty for an unsafe release in the pit lane that resulted in contact with Kimi Antonelli. The ruling ends speculation over whether the Red Bull Racing driver might edge closer to a race ban under the FIA’s penalty points system.
The incident in question occurred during the sprint race, when Verstappen’s Red Bull team released him prematurely from his pit box, sending him directly into the path of Mercedes’ young driver, Kimi Antonelli. The two cars made slight contact, resulting in minor damage to Verstappen’s front wing. Despite the contact, both drivers were able to continue, although Verstappen’s race was significantly compromised. The stewards handed the reigning World Champion a 10-second time penalty for the unsafe release, which ultimately dropped him to 17th place in the final sprint classification.
In a statement released shortly after the sprint race, the FIA outlined the reasoning behind the time penalty but clarified that Verstappen would not be receiving any penalty points on his licence for the incident. The official document stated, “The driver did everything he could to avoid the incident and therefore no penalty points are issued in this case.” This explanation points to the stewards’ view that Verstappen was not at fault for the unsafe release and that it was primarily a team error in timing the pit exit.
The decision to issue only a time penalty and not penalize Verstappen further with Super Licence points will come as a relief to both the driver and the Red Bull team. Verstappen is currently leading the drivers’ championship, and with a tight calendar ahead, avoiding a race ban is critical to maintaining his title defense.
As it stands, Max Verstappen holds eight penalty points on his FIA Super Licence—more than any other driver on the current Formula 1 grid. The FIA’s penalty point system is designed to regulate driver behavior and ensure safety on the track. Any driver who accrues 12 or more points within a 12-month period will receive an automatic one-race ban, a scenario that all drivers aim to avoid.
Verstappen’s current tally puts him perilously close to that limit. Fortunately for the Dutchman, his situation will ease somewhat on June 30, when some of his existing penalty points will expire. This means he must navigate the next few races—including the Emilia-Romagna, Monaco, and Canadian Grands Prix—without incurring additional penalties that could push him to the threshold of 12 points. If he manages to avoid further infractions until the end of June, he will gain some breathing room ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.
The pressure is not exclusive to Verstappen. Liam Lawson, the reserve driver for Red Bull and AlphaTauri, holds the second-highest number of penalty points at the moment, with six. Lawson received three of these points during the Bahrain Grand Prix for two separate driving infractions. Although he is not currently a regular race starter, should he return to the grid, he too would need to drive cautiously to avoid a potential ban.
This latest incident in Miami highlights once again how fine the margins are in modern Formula 1. Pit stops, often lasting just two to three seconds, can have dramatic consequences when mishandled. Although Verstappen was not directly at fault in this instance, the team’s error still carried significant consequences in the race result. It also serves as a reminder that the penalty points system, though aimed at drivers, can be influenced by team actions outside their control.
For Red Bull and Verstappen, the focus will now shift to the remaining races in the first half of the season, where both performance and discipline will be critical. With the championship battle intensifying and rivals looking to exploit any missteps, Verstappen will need to tread carefully on and off the track.
As the summer stretch of the calendar approaches, all eyes will be on how Verstappen manages the dual challenge of defending his championship lead while avoiding the costly accumulation of further penalty points. One mistake could see him face a race ban at a pivotal moment in the title fight—a scenario Red Bull will be desperate to avoid.
