Max Verstappen warning sent as F1 hopeful receives ban and will miss next race.
With Max Verstappen on the brink of a Formula 1 race ban, one Formula 3 driver has already triggered that punishment with an astonishing run of incidents over just two race weekends.
A young Formula 1 prospect has been suspended from his upcoming race due to a series of penalties. Nicola Lacorte, a member of the Alpine driver academy, will not be competing at the next round in Austria following infractions at the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix.
This kind of penalty mirrors what Max Verstappen could face if he incurs more disciplinary action at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Red Bull star has 11 penalty points after his collision with George Russell in Barcelona and risks a ban from his team’s home race in Austria if he earns one more point in Montreal.
Lacorte, however, is already confirmed to be sidelined and won’t take part in the F3 events supporting the Austrian Grand Prix. His suspension comes after a startling 18 penalty points were recorded across just two race weekends.
It began in Monaco, where Lacorte received five points after continuing to drive despite being disqualified from qualifying — a result of receiving assistance from a marshal. He ignored the black flags, which signal disqualification, prompting further scrutiny. During the Sprint race, he added two more points after a collision with Santiago Ramos.
Hoping for a cleaner weekend in Barcelona, Lacorte instead accumulated even more penalties. He was given four points for a qualifying incident involving Jose Garfias, pushing him close to the 12-point race ban limit. His total reached that threshold during Sunday’s feature race when he was penalized for driving too slowly under the safety car.
Despite already being banned for the Austrian round, his misconduct continued. He received three additional points for another safety car rules violation and one more for a collision with Brando Badoer — pushing his tally to 18 points.
Under F3 rules, penalty points exceeding the ban threshold carry over. This means that even after serving his suspension, Lacorte will return with six points still on his record, putting him at risk of another ban.
Lacorte, who joined the Alpine driver academy in 2023, has received backing from the team. A spokesperson said they are working with the 18-year-old and his crew to review the incidents and prevent future issues.
