FIA stewards reach Max Verstappen verdict following Miami GP investigation

Max Verstappen headed off to see the stewards in Miami, having been summoned following Friday’s Sprint Qualifying session.

The Red Bull driver qualified in fourth place for the Sprint Qualifying race in Miami but faced a nervous wait to see whether a penalty awaited for Saturday’s race following the FIA stewards issuing him with a summons.

Why has Max Verstappen been summoned?

Shortly after the Sprint Qualifying session around the Miami International Autodrome ended, a summons came through for Verstappen, on the grounds of an alleged breach of Article 33.4 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations and Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code.

This pertained to non-compliance with the directions issued by the Race Director in his specific event notes – in this case, item 1 of Rui Marques’ notes for the race weekend in Miami.

This item dictates the maximum times drivers must adhere to during the Sprint Qualifying, qualifying, and pre-race reconnaissance laps, in order to ensure drivers don’t drive around too slowly.

Drivers are required to stay below the maximum time, set by the FIA, between the first and second Safety Car lines on any lap during the aforementioned sessions – the time, in this case, being 1:45.0.

Following their meeting with Verstappen and Red Bull’s team representative, as well as reviewing video, timing, and telemetry, the stewards reached a verdict of reprimanding the team, with no punishment for Verstappen.

“[Verstappen] was around six seconds above the required minimum time between Safety Car Lines 1 and 2 for one lap in SQ2, but complied with the requirement in all other laps,” read the verdict.

“Telemetry showed that the driver was driving with a constant speed throughout the lap without any other cars around as if he was managing the delta at approx. six seconds off the relevant number.

“During the hearing, the team stated that, due to false programming in the car, the delta time displayed in the car had an offset of six seconds and, whilst the driver was managing the delta displayed, he was constantly approx. six seconds above the minimum time.

“The team identified the problem by the end of the first cool-down lap and immediately instructed the driver to manage his speed in a way that he would be minimum six seconds below the delta time displayed in the car, which he did in all following laps. This was confirmed by the telemetry.

“The stewards acknowledge that, whilst there has been a breach of the regulations, Verstappen did not drive ‘unnecessarily slowly’ based on the information he had in the car and did not impede any other cars or create any dangerous situation and, therefore, determine that a penalty for the driver is not warranted.

“However, a reprimand to the team is issued as they are responsible for ensuring that correct timing information is displayed in the car.”

Lance Stroll, who was knocked out in 16th, said he was affected by Verstappen driving his Red Bull slowly around the track.

“We just had traffic the whole way through the lap,” he said of his qualifying.

“So we had Verstappen just completely in the middle of the track in the last corner, so I had to brake on the inside of the track. I mean, we lost like three or four-tenths just there.

“It just costs you lap time, just tenths going out the window. I don’t know, I hope they investigate it because, if we can just all do that and drive on the line, it’s not so fun for the guys on push laps, but let’s see what happens.”

Speaking after the session, Verstappen summed up his Sprint Qualifying by highlighting that the Miami circuit’s low-speed demands are compromising his competitiveness.

“I think what we did in Q3 was good. The tyres were holding on quite well, but, unfortunately, already from FP1, just struggling with a lot of understeer in the car,” he said.

“Around here, with all these low-speed corners, you just lose quite a bit of lap time. I think you can see in the first sector, that we’re quite competitive because that’s where a few high-speed corners are.

“But, as soon as you get to the low speed, we just lack quite a bit of grip. But P4 is alright. I mean, of course, it’s not where I want to be, but you also need to be realistic with the limitations that we have at the moment and it was still quite close.”

With only limited data from the one and only practice session, Verstappen said he couldn’t really tell just how in the mix Red Bull really are.

“Honestly, it’s always very difficult to say in a sprint weekend, because there’s no real proper data on long runs, because you don’t know what others are doing with fuel loads and stuff,” he said.

“But, just going off my own feeling with how I felt, just balance-wise with the car, I think it will be tough with the heat, and, like I said, we know our limitations, so we just need to try and make the best of it.”

Aside from Verstappen, five other drivers committed a similar offence to him during SQ1 – Williams’ drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, Mercedes’ George Russell, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.

In their cases, no further action is being taken as “The drivers concerned stayed at or above speeds necessary to stay below 1:45.0 around the vast majority of the circuit.

“However, in all cases, the Stewards determined that the drivers took appropriate actions to not impede other drivers and slowed down significantly to allow other drivers to pass while giving those drivers a clear track or had already taken the chequered flag.

“The Stewards, therefore, determine that the drivers concerned did not drive “unnecessarily slowly”, and that evidently the reason they were above the maximum time was due to their appropriate actions and take no further action.”

This article will be updated.

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