FIA Announces Late Demotion for Max Verstappen at Brazilian Grand Prix with Fresh Penalty.
The Formula 1 world was thrown into a frenzy on Saturday night as the FIA confirmed a late penalty for reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who will now start the Brazilian Grand Prix from the pit lane. The decision came after Red Bull made several changes to his car’s power unit and suspension under parc fermé conditions, breaching FIA regulations.
Verstappen endured a disastrous qualifying session at Interlagos, failing to make it out of Q1 for the first time in years. The Dutchman could only manage 16th place, capping off what was already a miserable weekend for Red Bull. His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, also struggled to find pace and was eliminated early in qualifying, leaving the team bewildered about the sudden loss of performance.
During qualifying, Red Bull reverted to their older floor specification, hoping to rediscover balance and consistency. However, the change backfired dramatically. Verstappen complained of having “no grip” and an unpredictable rear end, with his car visibly sliding through corners where he would normally dominate. The four-time world champion was left scratching his head as to where the car’s pace had vanished.
After an internal debrief, Red Bull engineers concluded that the only way to make the car competitive for Sunday’s race was to completely rework its power unit and setup. The team replaced nearly every major component of the engine system, including the internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger (TC), motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), energy store (ES), control electronics (CE), and exhaust system (EX). Additionally, they altered the car’s suspension setup—changes that require approval from the FIA technical delegate when under parc fermé conditions.
Because these extensive modifications were made without authorization, the FIA determined that Verstappen’s car no longer conformed to its previously scrutineered state. According to the regulations, this meant he must start the race from the pit lane, not from his originally qualified grid position.
The official FIA technical delegate report confirmed the breach, stating that all replaced components and setup changes were carried out under parc fermé, prompting the automatic penalty. Alongside Verstappen, Haas driver Esteban Ocon will also begin the race from the pit lane after his team similarly changed the internal combustion engine of his car during parc fermé.
Speaking to the media shortly after qualifying, Verstappen appeared dejected and openly admitted that his hopes of salvaging the championship might be over. “I can forget about that,” he said bluntly. “Where we are starting, that is not going to work. And with these kinds of performances, I mean, forget about it.”
The usually composed Dutchman didn’t hold back in criticizing his car’s lack of pace. “It’s just no grip,” he explained. “We changed a few things on the car and it didn’t work, so that’s something we need to figure out. Nothing really seems to work. We changed a lot on the car, and we just don’t understand. Something is clearly off. Even with the changes on the setup, normally you would feel some kind of reaction—but it doesn’t. So yeah, something is really wrong.”
This is one of the rare occasions in recent seasons where Verstappen and Red Bull appear completely lost for answers. The team, which has dominated Formula 1 for years, now faces an uphill battle not only to recover lost ground in Brazil but also to keep their title hopes alive.
Despite Verstappen’s frustration, Red Bull engineers remain cautiously optimistic that the setup overhaul could give the Dutchman a fighting chance on Sunday. Starting from the pit lane allows the team to fine-tune the car even further before the race begins, as pit-lane starters are not bound by the same parc fermé restrictions as the rest of the grid.
The 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix promises to be an intense spectacle, with Verstappen aiming for one of his trademark comeback drives. However, overtaking at Interlagos can be tricky, and with fierce competition from the likes of Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri, it will take a monumental effort for the world champion to climb through the field.
For Red Bull, this weekend has served as a reminder that even the most dominant teams are not immune to setbacks. The pit lane start represents a strategic gamble—one that could either result in a heroic recovery or another chapter in what has already been a turbulent season.
Regardless of the outcome, all eyes will be on Verstappen when the lights go out in São Paulo, as the Dutchman attempts to turn despair into determination and keep his fading title hopes alive.
