F1 Stewards Stand Firm After Max Verstappen’s Controversial Penalty

Max Verstappen’s penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix drew sharp opinions from across the Formula 1 community after his incident with George Russell at Turn 5. Former world champion Nico Rosberg was one of the first to call for Verstappen’s disqualification.

A RacingNews365 poll indicated that most F1 fans agreed with the idea of a harsher penalty, reflecting widespread frustration with the champion’s on-track actions. Despite these calls, the stewards handed Verstappen a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points.

This decision dropped Verstappen from fifth to tenth position in the race, costing him nine championship points. As a result, Verstappen now trails Oscar Piastri, who leads the standings with 186 points to Verstappen’s 137. More details on Verstappen’s title challenge can be found here.

Those three penalty points also brought Verstappen’s total to 11 in the past 12 months. If he receives one more penalty point, he will be handed an automatic race ban, with the Canadian and Austrian rounds quickly approaching.

Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok weighed in on the stewards’ decision. Chandhok highlighted the importance of the details surrounding the incident, such as the speed and location of the collision, when assessing whether disqualification would have been appropriate.

He noted that while the black flag was an option for race officials, the 10-second penalty paired with penalty points was more impactful in this case. According to Chandhok, championship points lost due to a black flag might have been less meaningful than the risk Verstappen now faces with one more penalty point pushing him over the limit for a ban.

The stewards also clarified that no further action would be taken for a separate Turn 1 moment, stating that Verstappen was not required to give up his position. This further supports the notion that officials reviewed the specifics closely before deciding.

Among fans and experts alike, debate continues, but several respected voices defend the consistency of the rules applied to Verstappen compared with earlier precedents. Looking at the season so far, the standings have shifted since the Spanish Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri leads, with Lando Norris in second at 176 points and George Russell in fourth with 111 points. Red Bull’s driver pairing, Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda, now hold fourth in the constructor standings.

Upcoming Formula 1 races, including the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15 and the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29, are set to test Verstappen further. Even a single misstep could see him sidelined for a race due to penalty point accumulation.

The ongoing conversation about race penalties and steward consistency will likely continue throughout the season. With Verstappen so close to a ban and multiple title contenders separated by narrow margins, each steward decision gains greater importance.

Fans and analysts alike remain attentive as the competition intensifies heading into the summer races.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.