Red Bull F1 star Max Verstappen has found himself at the center of controversy once again, receiving his first penalty of 2025 during a virtual race in the GTP IMSA Global Esports Championship. The penalty, a drive-through, was handed down after Verstappen caused a collision during a bold overtaking attempt in the first corner at Daytona.

Speaking after the incident, Verstappen admitted to his error, explaining, “I just locked up a bit the rears, and in this car, it’s very hard to control that, so I just went wide. Of course, there was also the other car that I couldn’t avoid, so that was a bit unlucky there. My mistake.”

Details of the Incident

The collision not only compromised Verstappen’s race but also affected the championship-leading Williams BMW. Both cars sustained damage and were forced to fight their way back through the field. Verstappen’s car, which he shared with Gustavo Ariel, suffered additional damage later in the race and ultimately finished 12th.

Reflecting on the challenges of the race, Verstappen noted, “After that, I think both cars had damage, so it was quite a difficult first stint. Then we boxed, cleaned the car. I would say, [it was] almost fully repaired, so the pace was almost back. But I had more miscommunication with a GTD car and got damage again within three laps.”

A Disciplinary Tightrope in F1

This sim racing penalty comes at a time when Verstappen is under scrutiny in Formula 1. With eight penalty points on his F1 license heading into the 2025 season, Verstappen is dangerously close to a race ban, which is triggered upon reaching 12 points within a 12-month period.

Verstappen’s Troubling 2024 Record

Much of Verstappen’s current tally stems from incidents during the closing rounds of the 2024 F1 season. These include forcing McLaren’s Lando Norris off track in Mexico, breaching Virtual Safety Car regulations in Brazil, and unnecessarily slowing in Qatar, sparking a heated exchange with Mercedes’ George Russell.

Verstappen’s penalty points will not begin to decrease until late June, leaving him vulnerable to further scrutiny in the early stages of the F1 season.

As one of the most dominant drivers of his era, with four consecutive World Championships to his name, Verstappen’s aggressive driving style continues to divide opinions. While he admitted fault in the Daytona incident, questions remain about whether the penalty was justified or reflective of his broader approach to racing.

The road ahead for Verstappen in both sim racing and F1 promises to be closely watched as he walks the fine line between brilliance and controversy.