Max Verstappen Summoned by Stewards for Second Time on Friday in Japan

Max Verstappen was called before the FIA stewards for a second time on Friday at the Japanese Grand Prix, though, as with the first incident, he is not under investigation. The four-time world champion was impeded by Williams driver Franco Colapinto during the second practice session, prompting the meeting scheduled for 16:30 local time.

Why it matters:

While Verstappen is not facing a penalty, the repeated summons highlight the intense scrutiny and traffic management challenges at the high-speed Suzuka circuit during a busy practice day. It also underscores the procedural nature of stewards' investigations, where drivers involved in incidents—whether at fault or not—are often required to give their account.

The details:

• The specific incident occurred during FP2 when Colapinto was deemed to have impeded Verstappen on a flying lap.
• This marks the second time Verstappen has been summoned on Friday. Earlier, he and Lewis Hamilton were called regarding an incident in FP1 where Hamilton was investigated for allegedly holding up the Red Bull driver into Turn 15.
• The stewards took no further action on the FP1 incident between Hamilton and Verstappen after reviewing the available evidence.

What's next:

The outcome of the Colapinto-Verstappen hearing is expected shortly after the meeting concludes. With no penalty anticipated for Verstappen, the focus will quickly shift to the team's performance after a challenging Friday, where both Red Bulls appeared to struggle for pace compared to rivals McLaren and Mercedes.