F1 BOMBSHELL🛑FIA confirm Max Verstappen penalty verdict at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The FIA has indeed confirmed a penalty verdict for Max Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2025. Following the final practice session (FP3) on April 5, 2025, Verstappen, along with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, was investigated for failing to follow the race director’s instructions. Specifically, both drivers were found to have cut the queue in the pit lane while attempting to initiate their practice starts, overtaking several cars in the process, which breached FIA sporting regulations.
After reviewing video evidence and hearing from the drivers and team representatives, the FIA stewards issued an official warning to both Verstappen and Piastri, as well as their respective teams, Red Bull and McLaren. No further penalties, such as grid drops or fines, were applied, meaning Verstappen retained his pole position for the race on April 6, 2025, which he went on to win. This lenient outcome aligns with similar incidents earlier in the weekend, where Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll also received warnings for comparable breaches.
The decision sparked some frustration among fans, with sentiments on platforms like X suggesting the FIA’s rulings were trivializing the sport. However, the stewards’ consistency in opting for warnings rather than harsher penalties reflects their approach to such pit-lane infractions this season. Verstappen’s victory in the race itself, narrowing the championship gap to Lando Norris to just one point, overshadowed the penalty drama, highlighting his dominance despite the earlier controversy
