Max Verstappen was put under investigation following Q3 of the Dutch Grand Prix: here’s the final outcome.
The Dutchman’s Saturday didn’t end right after qualifying. Despite securing P3 on the grid, Verstappen was summoned by the stewards for allegedly failing to comply with procedures during Q3 at Zandvoort, where he managed yet another masterpiece by splitting the two McLarens.
The case involved a potential breach of Article 33.4 of the FIA Sporting Regulations and Article 12.2.1(i) of the International Sporting Code.
At the center of the investigation was the time taken between Safety Car Line 2 and Safety Car Line 1. Initial data suggested Verstappen exceeded the maximum permitted delta of 3.8 seconds, immediately triggering an investigation. Fans and teams feared a grid drop that could have complicated his home weekend.
FIA Verditct: here’s the FINAL Decision!
After analyzing the data, the stewards delivered their decision: no penalty. The case was closed with the statement “no further action”, confirming that the incident did not constitute a breach of the regulations. Verstappen keeps P3 on the grid, giving him a real chance to fight for victory in front of his home crowd.
The official explanation clarified that Verstappen’s slowdown was not intentional but rather caused by a yellow flag shown on track in the closing stages of his lap. The Dutchman correctly reduced his speed under the regulations, which led to a slower sector time. Under the rules, this could not be penalized — despite a similar incident in Qatar previously costing him a grid drop.
A sigh of relief for Red Bull and the orange army, who will see their hero starting from the front rows. Victory won’t be easy, but as Verstappen himself admitted yesterday, “even the top-5 would have been difficult to achieve”.
Photo: Formula 1, FIA
