After the Mexican Grand Prix, Max Verstappen, who was clearly irritated by the penalties he had received, dismissed the outcome with a joke. Verstappen, who is known for his fierce competitiveness, got into trouble after he and fellow driver Lando Norris got into an altercation that cost him two 10-second penalties and two penalty points on his racing license.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, located in Mexico City at a high elevation, offered the drivers special difficulties. Car performance is greatly impacted by the thin air, which tests engine power and aerodynamics. However, during a stressful and captivating race weekend, these difficulties took a backseat. With his second victory of the 2024 season, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari helped the team pass Red Bull in the Constructor’s Championship rankings. Verstappen, however, was the one who brought attention to the Sunday.
Two altercations with Norris resulted in Verstappen’s penalties. Verstappen drove hard at Turn 4, pushing Norris off the track. He then made a daring pass at Turn 7, pushing the Papaya driver off the racing line once more. Verstappen’s license was hit with two penalty points and twin 10-second penalties as a result of these actions, bringing his total to six points for the rolling year.
Verstappen dismissed his penalties and responded with a snug towards the governing body in spite of these problems.
He rejected the notion of acknowledging defeat when Formula 1 asked him what he would have done differently:
“Get a drink at the pit stop, perhaps. Yes. I mean, I had plenty of time—the engine was off for twenty seconds. Correct.
The Formula 1 governing body, the FIA, made a firm decision, stating that these fines were in line with changes to driving rules intended to reduce excessively aggressive driving practices that were made following the previous US Grand Prix.
Christian Horner, the team principal for Red Bull Racing, thought the imposition was too harsh. He took issue with the harshness of the punishments:
According to Sports Illustrated, “Max did leave the track at Turn Four, then at Seven, Lando opened the door very late and both ran off there.” “The issue is that I believe we’re about to enter extremely risky territory regarding when a dive bomb will be acceptable. Really, I believe that the drivers and the FIA should get together and decide what is and isn’t acceptable. I felt that today’s two 10-second [penalties] were a little excessive.
Evidently irritated, Lando Norris did not mince words when he called Verstappen’s driving “dangerous.”
“I led the entire way around the bend. This man is dangerous. It’s the same as it was previously. During the race, Norris expressed his worries over his team radio, saying, “I’ll be in the wall in a minute.”
Ferrari is now ahead of Red Bull in the Constructor’s Championship thanks to Sainz’s victory and his collaboration with Charles Leclerc. As the season comes to a close, the Milton Keynes team is under more pressure. These penalties have also reduced Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship, making the race for the championship more unpredictable as rivals Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are catching up.
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