Max Verstappen is half way to receiving a one-race ban with just four Grand Prix weekends left in the season after being slapped with two penalty points following his battles with Lando Norris in Mexico City.
Norris is Verstappen’s only challenger left in the Drivers’ Championship with the two involved in some intense wheel-to-wheel racing this season.
The McLaren driver was adjudged to have overstepped the mark at the United States Grand Prix for overtaking Verstappen off the track as he received a five-second penalty.
But it was Verstappen who found himself in hot water with the stewards in Mexico City after another coming together with his championship rival.
Max Verstappen now has six points on his licence
REUTERS
Norris went for a move around the outside of Verstappen on lap 10 with Verstappen edging his rival off the track before the Red Bull driver attempted a late lunge down the inside a few corners later.
Verstappen was penalised for both incidents and given a huge 20 second penalty, which dropped him far down the grid.
Norris was eventually able to finish second while Verstappen recovered to sixth.
But the 20 second penalty wasn’t the only punishment dished out to Verstappen, who was also given two penalty points for his troubles.
The three-time world champion now has six penalty points for the 12-month period and is half way to receiving a one-race ban.
The race stewards explained after the race that Verstappen’s penalty points were for breaching Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 b) of the International Sporting Code.
“Norris was attempting to overtake Verstappen on the outside into Turn 4,” the statement read.
“Norris was ahead of Verstappen at the entry, apex and towards the exit of the turn when he started being forced off the track.
Max Verstappen was penalised for two separate incidents with Lando Norris
REUTERS
“The stewards believe that the manoeuvre was done in a safe and controlled manner and that Norris would have been able to make the manoeuvre on the track had he not been forced off the track by Verstappen.
“Norris cut the corner, but immediately gave the position he gained as a result back to Sainz.
“The penalty is standard in these types of cases.”
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
Lando Norris ended up finishing second
REUTERS
Verstappen will have two penalty points taken off his licence by the time of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
He was given two points on his licence for forcing Charles Leclerc off the track during the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The other two points on Verstappen’s licence for were causing a collision with Norris at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.