FIA announces Max Verstappen verdict after Dutch Grand Prix investigation
Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko in conversation in the Red Bull garage at Zandvoort
The FIA has confirmed that Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will face no further action for driving unnecessarily slowly in qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Verstappen qualified third for his home race on Saturday behind the dominant McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who claimed his fifth pole position of the F1 2025 season.
Max Verstappen escapes FIA penalty over Dutch Grand Prix breach
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
The FIA announced after qualifying that Verstappen had been summoned over an ‘alleged breach of Article 33.4 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations & Article 12.2.1(i).’
The charge related to driving unnecessarily slowly ‘in contravention of the race director’s event notes.’
Verstappen and a Red Bull team representative were required to report to the stewards at 1645 at Zandvoort.
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The FIA announced a short time later that Verstappen will face no further action, with the reigning four-time World Champion free to take up his spot on the second row of the grid.
The stewards’ report read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representative and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry and in-car video evidence.
“Car 1 exceeded the maximum time specified in the Race Director’s Notes by 3.8 seconds, without slowing down to let any cars pass.
“This time was exceeded in the inlap after Car 1 took the chequered flag.
“The driver of Car 1 showed us telemetry that proved that he would have been within the delta time but for the yellow flag being shown towards the end of the lap – he had to slow significantly to comply with the yellow flag rules.
“This is what led to his delta time reflecting an infringement in the system.
“We accepted his rationale for slowing down and accordingly took no further action.”
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com in the post-qualifying press conference, Verstappen declared himself pleased with third on the grid after a challenging weekend at his home event.
He said: “So far this weekend, we’ve been struggling for grip and general balance.
“And luckily in qualifying, it was the best that I’ve felt all weekend and that’s, of course, what you like.
“It all just felt a bit more normal, bit more together. Still not, of course, on the level of McLaren, but at least to be P3, I guess, is very good for us.
“So we did the right things in terms of setup direction, so I’m very happy with that.
“And it just made it also a bit more fun to get to push to the limit around here, which is an incredible layout.”
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Asked what he changed overnight to put the RB21 car in a better window, he said: “Changed a lot.
“Even this morning [FP3], it was still not good so then we changed other bits again and that made it feel a bit better.
“But it’s still quite tricky with the wind. It’s been very windy today and some corners you’ve been guided by what the wind is doing.
“The car is pushing or sliding and I guess there we’re not the strongest at the moment. But still, it was not bad.”
On the car’s race pace, Verstappen added: “It’s a bit unknown.
“But I do think that what we have on the car should be more stable.
“But this season in general, our race pace has not been the best if you compare it to a qualifying lap.
“But I just hope that at least we can keep the guys behind us – literally behind us – in the race.
“What happens in front of me, I have no control over. I’ll just try to do the best I can from from my side.”
Verstappen in a three-time winner at Zandvoort, claiming victory at the Dutch Grand Prix in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
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