FIA slaps Max Verstappen with additional penalty points for 'reckless driving' over 20 second in-race penalty

The FIA has revisited and revised its initial decision on Max Verstappen’s actions during the recent Mexican Grand Prix, leading to an additional penalty of two points on his license. Originally, Verstappen was penalized without accruing penalty points; however, FIA stewards have reassessed the incident and increased the repercussions for what they now deem "reckless driving" during two separate clashes with McLaren’s Lando Norris.

On the tenth lap, Verstappen and Norris were locked in a fierce battle for second place when tensions escalated. As Norris approached turn four on the outside, Verstappen aggressively braked, causing Norris to veer off-track to avoid a collision. This forced manoeuvre initially allowed Norris to gain a slight lead after rejoining the track, but he quickly allowed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to pass to maintain fair racing.

However, Verstappen continued to press, attempting a bold move on the inside at turn seven, where he again pushed Norris off the track. Both drivers eventually fell behind Charles Leclerc. FIA stewards held Verstappen responsible for both incidents, issuing him two separate ten-second penalties, which collectively added 20 seconds to his pit stop.

Verstappen is on the verge of a race ban!

But their initial ruling exempted Max Verstappen from accruing penalty points. After revisiting the first turn-four clash, the stewards concluded Verstappen’s actions had indeed forced Norris off-track unfairly and revised their decision to include two penalty points on his racing license. This brings Verstappen’s total to six points within a 12-month window, halfway to the automatic 12-point threshold that triggers a race ban.

In their official explanation, the FIA clarified that Norris’s attempt at turn four was “safe and controlled” and would have succeeded had he not been forced off by Verstappen’s defensive driving. Additionally, while they acknowledged that Verstappen may not have intended to push Norris off the track, they emphasized that Verstappen gained a lasting advantage by not staying within track limits. As FIA stewards put it, “The penalty is the standard penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.”