Max Verstappen warning: F1 champion potentially facing legal action

Two-time defending Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is enjoying one of the best seasons in racing history. He has by far, the best car and is racing at an unbeatable pace. The only ones who may be able to stop him in any way aren’t on the track, though. Max Verstappen’s warning of legal action this week stems from an Instagram video.

Even during summer break, Max is driving a Newey spaceship😭 pic.twitter.com/9qAMW0agSB

— Enzo  (@Aperta) August 19, 2023

The video shows Verstappen driving the 1000-horsepower Aston Martin Valkyrie designed by Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey. He’s adjusting on a screen with headphones on as he and his friend Mark Cox, who posted the video, drive down the A8 motorway along the French Riviera.

The video, while exciting, could catch the attention of the local authorities. A closer look at the steering wheel shows Verstappen reaching 124 kph (77 mph). That’s much higher than the motorway’s speed limit of 110 kph (68 mph).

This could be big Formula 1 news for the world championship leader. The French publication Nice Martin claims that local authorities could decide to take action and investigate. If so, he could be facing at least a steep speeding ticket. This Max Verstappen warning includes other charges, such as ‘endangering the lives of others’ due to his speed.

The Formula 1 schedule just started a run of four races in five weeks, starting with Verstappen’s home Grand Prix in the Netherlands. He dominated that race to make it nine wins in a row and three in a row on home soil. This week, the grid goes to Monza, where he might struggle more in Formula 1 qualifying than normal. The circuit is all about straight-line speed, and these types of layouts have closed the gap on Saturdays for other teams in 2023.

This isn’t the first time social media videos have caused issues for a Formula 1 driver. Former Haas driver Nikita Mazepin appeared to grope a woman in a video posted to his Instagram story. That led to little consequence outside of a public apology.

But this Max Verstappen warning could have more consequences than that. Legal action for speeding is far more significant than what Mazepin potentially faced. It may not impede his ability to win the 2023 F1 championship, but it’ll undoubtedly be more of a blemish on his record.

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