F1 stewards threaten new penalty verdict after Max Verstappen incident at Japanese Grand Prix

Max Verstappen

F1 stewards threaten new penalty verdict after Max Verstappen incident at Japanese Grand Prix

The F1 stewards have threatened a change after multiple incidents at the Japanese GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 5 April 2025 22:00

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Formula 1 stewards have issued a statement which threatens to add a new penalty verdict for future incidents following multiple pit lane breaches this weekend at Suzuka.

After Saturday's qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, the FIA took a closer look at a move from polesitter Max Verstappen, where the four-time champion could be seen overtaking in the pit lane.

After closer inspection, the Red Bull star was handed a warning, as was McLaren racer Oscar Piastri, with both drivers breaching regulations by cutting the queue in order to initiate their practice starts.

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Earlier in the weekend, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin star Lance Stroll were also both handed warnings for similar incidents following Friday's sessions.

Could F1's stewards issue harsher penalties for future pit lane incidents?

In an official FIA document which determined the verdict over Verstappen's breach of sporting regulations in the pit lane, an additional deterrent was issued to drivers across the grid following the four similar incidents which took place across the Japanese GP weekend.

The document read: "In relation to the general subject of overtaking in the pit lane, the fact that a warning was issued for the four cases this weekend is not to be taken as a precedent and the stewards note that future breaches of pit lane procedures may involve a sporting penalty."

It suggests that stricter penalties will apply in the future when assessing the pit-lane actions of drivers, which this weekend would have meant grid drops for some of the sport's biggest stars.

As it stands heading into Sunday's grand prix, Carlos Sainz is the only driver to have been handed a sporting penalty, and that was for impeding Hamilton while he was on a flying lap in Q2.

F1 HEADLINES: FIA PUNISHMENT issued after Hamilton incident as Verstappen also investigated in Japan