Max Verstappen F1 News: Former F1 champion calls for RULE CHANGE to stop Red Bull star

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F1 News & Gossip

F1 champion calls for RULE CHANGE to stop Verstappen

Max Verstappen came under fire in 2024

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Sunday 19 January 2025 20:00

Former Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg has called for a rule change to prevent some of the more extreme driving we have seen from current star Max Verstappen.

Verstappen has received plenty of criticism for his aggressive driving style over the years, and it was once again on display in 2024 as he was embroiled in a championship battle with McLaren's Lando Norris.

READ MORE: Hamilton set to ditch key partner

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At the US Grand Prix in Austin, for example, the Dutchman forced the McLaren driver wide, which prompted Norris to overtake Verstappen off-track, and the Brit was slammed with a five-second time penalty for the leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

The following weekend in Mexico, it was Verstappen who was penalized, hit with a double penalty for pushing his rival wide and also leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris' rivalry became intense in 2024

Max Verstappen was penalized twice at the Mexican Grand Prix

Rosberg calls for F1 rule change

Reflecting on Verstappen’s driving style during an appearance on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, champion Nico Rosberg highlighted how the Dutchman has exposed a loophole in the FIA regulations and called for a limit to be set.

“Whether it’s tightening up the regulations so on a political front, with the wheel-to-wheel racing regulations because there’s some stuff that Max does which just shouldn’t be… it’s not right because at some point you cannot just lunge and expect the other guy to move out of the way every time.

Nico Rosberg exposes Max Verstappen loophole

“There needs to be a limit that’s set, a new limit I would say because at the moment the regulations just allow him to do these lunges and the other guy just has to stay out of the way and as long as Max stays on the track, he’s good.”

His driving style has certainly done his chances of success no harm in recent seasons.

After scooping the 2024 title in Las Vegas, Verstappen can now call himself a four-time champion heading into the new campaign.

Max Verstappen McLaren Lando Norris Nico Rosberg US Grand Prix