Max Verstappen handed penalty immediately after Barcelona Grand Prix as commentators call for disqualification
The reigning Formula One champion has been handed a huge penalty due to the incident.
Formula One great Max Verstappen has been handed a huge penalty after causing a crash that could have seen him disqualified from the Spanish Grand Prix.
On Sunday, McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris extended their lead over their rivals after finishing first and second respectively in the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Although both drivers securing value points in the race is important for the championship, the most dramatic moment came in the closing laps as reigning champion Verstappen was handed a huge penalty.
Despite some calls for the Dutchman to be disqualified due to his actions, the FIA ultimately decided to hand Verstappen a 10 second penalty, taking him from third down to 10th.Not only was the result Verstappen’s worst-ever in the Spanish Grand Prix, but it also has dealt a brutal blow to his hopes of catching championship leader Oscar Piastri in the standings.
Heading into lap 64th lap of the race, Verstappen was told to let former rival George Russell through, only for the Dutch driver to decide to hit into the Mercedes driver as he looked to overtake.
Immediately after the moment, Sky Sports commentator and former F1 champion Nico Rosberg called for the Red Bull star to be disqualified from the race.
However, moments later the FIA confirmed that they had decided to hand Verstappen a 10-second penalty because of the incident, meaning he finished the race in P10.
The outcome delivers a significant setback to Verstappen’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive Formula One drivers’ championship, widening the points gap between him and current leader Oscar Piastri.
Following the race, the 27-year-old stormed out of the paddock to attend Red Bull’s post-race debrief, visibly frustrated.
His irritation began earlier when Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli went off track on lap 55, prompting a safety car deployment.
During the safety car period, several drivers—including both McLarens and Verstappen—opted to pit for fresh tyres to finish the race. While most switched to soft compounds, Red Bull chose to fit Verstappen’s car with hard tyres, a decision that clearly frustrated the reigning champion.
Red Bull later explained that hard tyres were their only available choice, but the move proved costly. With less grip than the soft tyres used by rivals, Verstappen was overtaken by Charles Leclerc and George Russell, losing a podium spot.
Verstappen’s race took a further hit when, after being instructed to yield position to Russell, he appeared to deliberately collide with the Mercedes driver—an incident that contributed to his worst-ever finish at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen handed penalty immediately after Barcelona Grand Prix as commentators call for disqualification
The reigning Formula One champion has been handed a huge penalty due to the incident.
Formula One great Max Verstappen has been handed a huge penalty after causing a crash that could have seen him disqualified from the Spanish Grand Prix.
On Sunday, McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris extended their lead over their rivals after finishing first and second respectively in the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Although both drivers securing value points in the race is important for the championship, the most dramatic moment came in the closing laps as reigning champion Verstappen was handed a huge penalty.
Heading into lap 64th lap of the race, Verstappen was told to let former rival George Russell through, only for the Dutch driver to decide to hit into the Mercedes driver as he looked to overtake.
Immediately after the moment, Sky Sports commentator and former F1 champion Nico Rosberg called for the Red Bull star to be disqualified from the race.
However, moments later the FIA confirmed that they had decided to hand Verstappen a 10-second penalty because of the incident, meaning he finished the race in P10.
The outcome delivers a significant setback to Verstappen’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive Formula One drivers’ championship, widening the points gap between him and current leader Oscar Piastri.
Following the race, the 27-year-old stormed out of the paddock to attend Red Bull’s post-race debrief, visibly frustrated.
His irritation began earlier when Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli went off track on lap 55, prompting a safety car deployment.
During the safety car period, several drivers—including both McLarens and Verstappen—opted to pit for fresh tyres to finish the race. While most switched to soft compounds, Red Bull chose to fit Verstappen’s car with hard tyres, a decision that clearly frustrated the reigning champion.
Red Bull later explained that hard tyres were their only available choice, but the move proved costly. With less grip than the soft tyres used by rivals, Verstappen was overtaken by Charles Leclerc and George Russell, losing a podium spot.
Verstappen’s race took a further hit when, after being instructed to yield position to Russell, he appeared to deliberately collide with the Mercedes driver—an incident that contributed to his worst-ever finish at the Spanish Grand Prix.
