Max Verstappen delivers FIA disqualification claim about F1 rivals

Max Verstappen,FIA,Red Bull,Belgium,2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Formula 1

Max Verstappen delivers FIA disqualification claim about F1 rivals

Verstappen is not convinced by this FIA practice

Originally written by Kerry Violet. This version is a translation.

Wednesday 31 December 2025 17:00

Max Verstappen has claimed half of his F1 rivals would have been disqualified in 2025 if teams were inspected every race.

Following every grand prix in 2025, the FIA carried out inspections on a handful of randomly selected cars, to ensure they all conformed with the regulations.

But with the introduction of the new regulations on the horizon ahead of the 2026 championship, Verstappen has taken the opportunity to call out the way in which F1's governing body complete these checks.

The Red Bull star claimed that some teams and drivers are often lucky to avoid a DSQ, and was quoted by Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport as saying: "You're always trying to find the limit; we all do it. Sometimes everything runs smoothly because you're not always inspected.

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"In my opinion, if the teams were inspected for every race, half of them would definitely be found to be in breach of regulations."

Verstappen questions F1 car disqualification checks

"Besides, it's not possible to inspect every car; it would take a lot of people," he added.

In 2025, the stewards disqualified Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly and both McLaren stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after their cars all failed post-race checks.

And to be fair, the governing body do go the extra mile to prevent a lucky escape for any teams or drivers whenever they can, such was the case at this year's Las Vegas GP.

Having crossed the line in P2 and P4 when the chequered flag was waved on the Vegas strip, McLaren driver duo Norris and Piastri suffered a devastating double disqualification due to the skids on both cars measuring below the minimum threshold after the grand prix.

Following confirmation that both MCL39's had failed the checks, the FIA then did their bit to ensure no other team or driver in the top 10 got away with excessive skid wear, checking all eight other cars, including Verstappen's.

Luckily for the Red Bull star, he passed the checks along with the rest of the top 10, but should the FIA introduce this as a mandatory check should resources allow in future, the Dutchman may not stay in favour of the change for much longer.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen FIA