Max Verstappen has had three penalty points removed from his record before the Brazilian Grand Prix, reducing his total to six over the past year. This adjustment provides a more comfortable position for the Dutch driver as he approaches the final four races of the season, along with his competitor Oliver Bearman.
Both Verstappen and Bearman delivered solid performances at the Mexican Grand Prix, finishing in third and fourth places, respectively. Bearman achieved his best career result, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
Following the race, the FIA made the decision to erase penalty points from both drivers’ super licenses in accordance with sporting regulations. Verstappen’s previous two penalty points, one for an incident involving Lando Norris in Mexico and another for a virtual safety car violation in Brazil, have been cleared.
Bearman, who had been on the brink of a race ban with only two penalty points to spare after a collision with Carlos Sainz at the Italian Grand Prix, now sees his total reduced to eight. This adjustment comes after two penalty points were removed for an incident with Franco Colapinto in Brazil last year.
In a separate incident, Bearman received a 10-second time penalty for exceeding track limits while competing against former Prema Racing teammate Kimi Antonelli in Austin. Fortunately, this penalty did not result in any additional points on his FIA super license.
Apart from Verstappen and Bearman, other drivers also experienced changes in their penalty point tallies this weekend. Championship contender Oscar Piastri had two points removed from his license due to a collision with Liam Lawson during last year’s Sao Paulo race.
The reduction in penalty points provides some relief for Verstappen, Bearman, and Piastri as they navigate the intense championship battle in its closing stages. All three drivers are chasing Norris, who currently leads the Drivers’ Championship by a single point following his dominant victory in Mexico City.
Among the contenders, Piastri faces the most significant pressure as he has struggled to keep up with his rivals in the past five rounds, losing a substantial 34-point lead at a concerning rate.
Verstappen understands the need for flawless performances to secure his fifth consecutive title. He acknowledged the challenge ahead, emphasizing the importance of winning every race moving forward to maintain his title aspirations.