Max Verstappen escapes penalty for Miami sprint qualifying incident

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Max Verstappen's Escape

Max Verstappen was investigated for driving unnecessarily slowly during qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix. His team, Red Bull, attributed the slow speed to a dashboard programming error displaying an incorrect time. While Verstappen was significantly above the minimum lap time, the stewards acknowledged his consistent speed and lack of dangerous driving, and opted against penalizing him. Red Bull, however, received a reprimand for providing incorrect information to the driver.

Red Bull's Reprimand

The FIA stewards' full verdict stated that, though regulations were breached, Verstappen's actions did not impede other drivers or create a hazardous situation given the incorrect dashboard display. Therefore, the team was responsible for supplying accurate data, resulting in Red Bull's reprimand. The decision highlights that under different circumstances, a more serious penalty could result.

Separate Incident

Separately, Verstappen had an earlier incident with Lance Stroll in SQ1, which Stroll deemed dangerous. This encounter, where Stroll had to swerve to avoid Verstappen on the racing line, reportedly cost Stroll a spot in the next qualifying phase.

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