Max Verstappen returns from Las Vegas with two suspension points

Max Verstappen is not used to starting in second position, and it showed in Las Vegas. Right from the first turn, the Dutchman made a unsportsmanlike move on Charles Leclerc. Trying to gain an advantage from the start, Verstappen positioned himself on the inside of the turn, while Charles Leclerc, on the dirty side of the track, ended up on the outside.

While Max Verstappen seemed to gain the advantage, coming out of the turn, the Red Bull driver pushed the Monegasque off the track limits. He completed his overtake outside of the track boundaries.

Verstappen didn’t hold the line long enough

During the race, the stewards had already deemed Max Verstappen at fault. He had received a five-second penalty, served during his first pit stop. After the race, the FIA authorities reevaluated this incident. After analysis, it was concluded that Max Verstappen had violated Chapter IV, Article 2 b of the International Sporting Code. “« Car 1 appeared to miss the apex of turn 1, not following the racing line, and therefore forced car 16 off the track,” the official FIA statement clarified.

Therefore, Max Verstappen has received two penalty points on his Super License. His total now stands at four units over the 12-month period.