Max Verstappen learns F1 punishment fate after embarrassing crash in Miami GP sprint.
Max Verstappen was hit with a 10-second time penalty for a pit-lane crash with Kimi Antonelli at the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, with the Red Bull engineers at fault for the incident
The Red Bull driver was inadvertently sent into the Mercedes driver’s path due to a mistake by his team.
The rivals were in the pit lane as the weather caused chaos in Miami, but the conditions swung from the intermediate tyres towards the soft. But, despite a strong stop, Red Bull engineers rushed Verstappen out and he ended up colliding with Antonelli as he made his way towards a pit stop.
Verstappen, despite slamming on the brakes, shattered his front wing endplate and stopped the Mercedes driver from making a stop. “Guys, come on,” the Dutchman complained on the radio. It wasn’t the only drama in Miami on Saturday, with Charles Leclerc crashing his Ferrari car before the sprint race even started.
The Ferrari man had not even been pushing his car but the heavy rain and standing water caught him out and he skidded into the wall. The crash left his rear right wheel hanging off the car, with Leclerc unable to get it back to the pits, meaning he would not start.
The 27-year-old was left devastated by the incident. He said over team radio: “No, no. Ouch. I’ll try to go back. Complete aquaplanning. That was complete aquaplanning, I was not even pushing. I don’t think I can go back.”
Meanwhile, Verstappen’s Red Bull future remains up in the air but McLaren boss Zak Brown wants the reigning world champ to stay put. Verstappen’s current deal expires at the end of the 2028 season though it’s understood the Dutch driver has an exit clause in his contract.
Verstappen has picked up just one race win in 2025, topping the podium in Japan, with Red Bull’s form declining. Key staff members such as Adrian Newey have departed with suggestions four-time world champion Verstappen could be tempted to leave.
A move to Mercedes could be on the cards, but McLaren chief Brown would rather Verstappen stays at Red Bull. “If you ask me now and if I look at the current situation, I would rather see Max driving at Red Bull than at Mercedes,” Brown said.
Red Bull may face significant hurdles next season as Formula 1 prepares for one of its biggest regulation changes. Both chassis and engine rules will undergo major revisions, with Mercedes thought to be leading in development.
McLaren will use Mercedes’ power unit as a customer team, while Red Bull must focus on its in-house development.
“I have tremendous confidence in Mercedes,” Brown said. “Their track record as an engine supplier speaks volumes, and their demeanor reinforces that confidence.
“Recently, many have pushed for changes to the engine rules. Generally, if you believe you’re competitive, you prefer to keep things as they are.”
