Max Verstappen has received an official warning following a breach of virtual safety car (VSC) regulations during the cooldown lap of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Along with fellow drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon, Verstappen was under investigation for overtaking other cars while the VSC was still in effect after the race.
The issue arose following the dramatic collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, which triggered a VSC late in the race that remained active beyond the finish. Verstappen, who had finished fifth after being overtaken by Lando Norris, was seen overtaking both Norris and George Russell on the cooldown lap, which is common practice but explicitly prohibited during a VSC period.
McLaren’s Norris had flagged the issue to his team over the radio, stating, “Max is overtaking everyone, it’s still a VSC, right? I don’t know if it matters or not but… still a VSC.”
Article 56.6 of the F1 sporting regulations clearly prohibits overtaking during a VSC period unless a car is slowing due to an obvious issue or entering/exiting the pit lane. Earlier this season, Daniel Ricciardo was penalized for overtaking under safety car conditions with a 10-second penalty that converted into a three-place grid penalty in the following race.
While Verstappen’s infraction could have resulted in a similar penalty, which would have demoted him one place in the Azerbaijan GP standings, the stewards ultimately opted for leniency. In their ruling, the stewards reminded Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, and Ocon that overtaking under VSC conditions is prohibited, even during cooldown laps. They emphasized that while the drivers were aware of the location of the incident, they could not be certain if marshals or emergency equipment had been dispatched onto the track.
The stewards also acknowledged that similar breaches had occurred earlier in the season without consequence, which likely influenced their decision to issue warnings instead of penalties. However, the warning came with a stern caveat, as the stewards noted, “Further breaches may incur significant penalties.”
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, was confident that Verstappen would avoid a penalty, and his assessment was proven correct as the reigning world champion avoided any grid or time penalty this time. But with the warning in place, Verstappen and the other drivers involved will need to be more vigilant in future races to avoid harsher consequences.
