Verstappen demoted from Interlagos Sprint after VSC breach

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen received a five-second time penalty for violating regulations related to the Virtual Safety Car (VSC). This penalty dropped him to fourth place in the standings, behind Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.

Race Overview

Verstappen engaged in fierce competition with Leclerc throughout the 24-lap race, ultimately overtaking him for third place. However, as he aimed to challenge McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, a late VSC disrupted his plans.

Once Nico Hulkenberg’s car was cleared, the race resumed, but Verstappen had less than a lap to make a move on Piastri, who had ceded the lead to teammate Norris, and he was unable to execute the pass.

Decision by the Stewards

After the race, Verstappen was investigated for a potential rule violation under VSC conditions. The stewards decided to impose a five-second penalty, resulting in his drop to fourth place and losing additional points to rival Norris, although he still leads by 44 points. Verstappen also received a penalty point on his racing license, bringing his total to seven points in the current 12-month period.

In their decision document, the stewards explained: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representative, and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, timing, and telemetry evidence. Article 56.5 states in part, ‘All cars must also be above this minimum time when the FIA light panels change to green.’ The driver was 0.63 seconds below the minimum time at VSC End when the FIA light panels turned green. This indicates a sporting advantage gained under VSC.”

The driver explained that while awaiting the end of the VSC, he received notification that he was below the minimum time and attempted to correct the error but failed to do so by the time the panels turned green.

Conclusion

Verstappen’s penalty not only affected his position in the race but also has implications for the championship battle. With a 44-point lead, he remains at the top, but violations like this can have significant consequences in the upcoming races. The competition among drivers is set to become even more intense as the season progresses.