Max Verstappen

Verstappen incident with McLaren rival sparks FIA INVESTIGATION at Monza

The verdict has now been issued

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 31 August 2024 16:44 Updated: 19:53

Oscar Piastri has been noted by the stewards for an unsafe release into the path of F1 rival and Red Bull star Max Verstappen.

As the first session of qualifying got underway at Monza, drivers were desperate to head out onto track and set their initial lap times around the circuit.

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However, McLaren and Piastri were a little too keen, speeding out of the pits and into the path of Verstappen's Red Bull, forcing the Dutchman to hit the brakes to avoid a collision.

Verstappen released a characteristic x-rated rant over the incident via team radio, after the McLaren mechanics missed the Red Bull when letting Piastri go.

Max Verstappen has been behind McLaren for most of this weekend

McLaren penalised for unsafe release

The punishment for an unsafe release in qualifying is usually a financial penalty imposed on the team, if they are found at fault for releasing a driver into the path of another car.

Both Williams and Sauber were fined last weekend at the Dutch GP after Alex Albon and Zhou Guanyu were prompted into unsafe releases into the paths of Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo respectively - with both teams fined €5,000.

The FIA applied the same logic to McLaren, though doubled the fine to €10,000, citing the view that this incident warranted a more severe penalty.

Despite the incident, both drivers made it into Q2, though ultimately Verstappen could only muster a lap good enough for P7 whilst Piastri qualified behind team-mate and pole-sitter Lando Norris in second.

Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren FIA Oscar Piastri Monza