Formula 1 fans have voiced their opinions on the penalties handed to Max Verstappen following incidents with Lando Norris at the Mexico City Grand Prix. In a recent RacingNews365 poll, the fan base provided a strong consensus, with most supporting the stewards’ decisions regarding Verstappen’s penalties for his on-track moves against Norris.
The incidents in question unfolded on lap 10 at Turn 4, where Verstappen pushed Norris off the track while the McLaren driver was attempting to overtake around the outside. The stewards judged that Norris had a fair shot at completing the maneuver before being sent off-course by Verstappen’s Red Bull. Not long after, Verstappen attempted a bold move at Turn 7, which resulted in both drivers leaving the track, leading to two separate 10-second penalties for Verstappen. Additionally, he received two penalty points for the Turn 4 incident.
As a result of these penalties, Verstappen ultimately finished in sixth place, losing ground to Norris, who finished in second. This reduced Verstappen’s lead in the championship to 47 points, with 120 points still available in the season.
The poll, conducted by RacingNews365, posed a straightforward question to fans: “Did Verstappen deserve a double penalty for incidents with Norris?” Out of over 11,000 responses, nearly 66% of fans agreed with the stewards’ decision, backing penalties for both incidents. A smaller segment, 1,340 voters, believed Verstappen should have only been penalized for the Turn 4 incident, while 1,279 thought only his actions at Turn 7 warranted punishment.
Interestingly, a minority—1,223 voters—felt that Verstappen’s actions did not merit any penalties, suggesting a more lenient view of the on-track exchanges. This diverse range of opinions highlights the intensity of fan engagement around racing decisions and how they impact the ongoing F1 championship.