Max Verstappen, George Russell face further FIA penalties for Las Vegas GP violations

Despite the widespread predictions that the Las Vegas Grand Prix would be dull and lacking in excitement due to the emphasis on show arrangements over racing, the event proved to be unexpectedly exciting. Several intriguing situations unfolded on the grid, putting a considerable thrill into the race.

In addition to the overall spectacle, Max Verstappen and George Russell found themselves dealing with significant consequences following their on-track incident. Even though Verstappen secured victory at the main race, he is now confronted with additional penalties.

Max Verstappen faces further FIA penalties

The renowned Dutch driver faced a five-second penalty for forcing Charles Leclerc off the track while he was scrutinizingly leading the race. Consequently, Russell was also penalized for the same duration for causing a collision with Verstappen later in the race.

There were also major consequences to their penalties. For example, Verstappen lost the lead of the race to serve his penalty, and Russell, too, dropped four places by the chequered flag while serving his penalty. Both drivers now carry penalty points on their licenses for the next year as a consequence. Normally, Formula One drivers are allowed a maximum of 11 penalty points on their super licenses within one year. However, crossing the 12-point threshold results in a one-year suspension. Russell was extremely apologetic for his actions, which is a rare occurrence.

This marked a departure from Verstappen’s clean state in Sao Paulo, bringing his total back to zero. The 26-year-old reflected on his actions, acknowledging that the decision taken by the FIA was indeed justified.

He said, “I didn’t mean to push Charles off track, but I couldn’t slow down. I kept sliding on four wheels, wide,” “So that’s why we had to go wide.”

“At the time, also from adrenaline, I was not happy with the decision.”

“But, looking back at it, that was probably the right call. After that, of course, with those five seconds, it was a bit harder to come back to the front.”

Max Verstappen’s hilarious response to F1 penalty

After being informed by his team engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, that he had received a five-second penalty for his contact with the Ferrari, the three-time champion responded with humor, gathering significant attention from the Internet. Ultimately, his penalty proved to be ineffective, as he broke a new record by grabbing his 18th win of the season.

He said, “Yeah that’s fine, send them my regards!” which shocked everyone including his team.

Do you think Verstappen’s collision with Russell was inevitable? Let us know in the comment section below.