F1 stars unite against Max Verstappen amid Mexican GP CONTROVERSY

Max Verstappen

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F1 stars unite against Verstappen amid Mexican GP CONTROVERSY

Max Verstappen was slammed with a 20-second penalty in Mexico City

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 31 October 2024 10:57

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Formula 1’s stars have united against Max Verstappen following his controversial racing style at the Mexican Grand Prix.

The Dutchman once again demonstrated his aggressive tactics in Mexico City, as he battled Lando Norris during the opening stages of the race.

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However, this time the FIA slammed him with a 10-second penalty for pushing Norris off-track, and awarded a further 10 for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in a separate incident.

Verstappen’s championship rival branded his racing style as ‘dangerous’, while Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff labelled Verstappen's driving as 'dirty'.

Max Verstappen was once again involved in controversy at the Mexican GP

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The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, which is led by Mercedes star George Russell, discussed the racing guidelines at their drivers meeting during the Mexican GP weekend.

According to Russell, all but one of the drivers were happy for the stewards to change their approach with penalising these types of incidents, rather than wait until 2025 for new guidelines.

"I think the stewards are totally on board with what needs to change," Russell told media at the Mexican GP.

"Our view is...I think the biggest discussion is they wanted to wait until '25, so it's something consistent through this year. I would say 19 out of 20 drivers said, 'well, if it's incorrect, make the change today'.

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"And I'm glad to see those incidents were punished and I suspect moving forward in Brazil what we saw today [Sunday] and what we saw last week [in Austin] you won't be able to get away with.

"You presume [it should be easy to change if everyone agrees], but it sometimes seems more difficult than it has to be when things have to get approved and we've got to go to a vote app. But as I said, 19 out of 20, we're all aligned on where it needs to be."

While it is unclear which driver voted against the move, the drivers were almost unanimous in their snub of driving tactics used by Verstappen in Austin and Mexico.