Max Verstappen handed additional penalty after unusual Qatar GP grid drop
Max Verstappen was stripped of pole position for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix and given a one-place grid penalty, along with a penalty point added to his superlicence.
The Red Bull driver initially secured pole with a lap 0.055 seconds faster than Mercedes’ George Russell. However, Verstappen’s slow driving during a cool-down lap led to a penalty, promoting Russell to pole.
Superlicence penalty point issued to Verstappen
Following warnings issued during Sprint qualifying, the stewards reiterated that slow driving or dangerous behavior would result in grid penalties. Verstappen was deemed to have driven unnecessarily slowly, forcing Russell to take evasive action at Turn 11. Russell called the situation “super dangerous” over team radio.
In addition to the one-place grid penalty, Verstappen received a penalty point on his superlicence, bringing his total to six. Accumulating 12 points within 12 months triggers a race ban, as Kevin Magnussen experienced earlier this year.
The stewards explained the incident, stating that Verstappen’s Red Bull (Car 1) was operating on a different preparation strategy than Russell’s Mercedes (Car 63). Verstappen allowed other cars to pass but failed to comply with the Race Director’s Event Notes, driving unnecessarily slowly while cooling his tires.
Russell, adhering to the delta, did not expect Verstappen to be on the racing line in a high-speed corner. Although the situation was unusual, as neither car was on a push lap, the stewards determined Verstappen had clear visibility of Russell through his mirrors.
Had Russell been on a push lap, Verstappen would likely have faced a standard three-place grid penalty. However, mitigating circumstances led the stewards to issue the rare one-place grid drop.