P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen has been handed a five-second time penalty for a Virtual Safety Car breach in the Formula 1 Sprint at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
During the final lap of the Brazil-based Sprint race, Max Verstappen tried to overtake McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for second place at Turn 4, but Piastri managed to defend his position. Verstappen ultimately finished third at Interlagos, but was immediately investigated for being 0.63s below the minimum Virtual Safety Car (VSC) time. The stewards found Verstappen guilty of gaining a sporting advantage under VSC rules, resulting in a five-second penalty that demoted him to fourth place. This penalty also awarded Verstappen one penalty point, bringing his total to seven in the last 12 months, with a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Grand Prix further complicating his situation in Brazil. Verstappen admitted that things got intense as the VSC ended, explaining that they were closing in on each other before having to brake, potentially causing the timing error.
