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Verstappen vents over safety-car timing and pace in Mexico

Conceptual AI-generated editorial motorsport illustration; not a documentary photograph or evidence that a pictured event, meeting or transfer occurred. · 2026-11-03GPBeat newsroom · News Made Clear generated illustration

Red Bull wanted to pit Verstappen under the safety car, but he said over the radio that he had just passed the pit entry. He then criticised the deployment timing and the car’s pace.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · · 1 min

Red Bull wanted to bring Max Verstappen in during the safety-car period at the Mexico City Grand Prix, but he told the team over the radio that he had just passed the pit entry. The stop fell through, and he criticised race control’s timing and the safety car’s pace.

The safety car was deployed after Valtteri Bottas hit the wall following a suspension failure. Red Bull had earlier put Verstappen into the lead by pitting him in the same lap as Charles Leclerc, allowing him to rejoin ahead of the Ferrari.

“Sometimes they wait half a lap to send out the safety car, and now they do this,” Verstappen complained. He also took aim at safety-car driver Bernd Mayländer, saying the car was “driving like a turtle” and that they were travelling at 150 km/h.

Verstappen went on to win the race ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.

Sources 01
  1. SOURCEGetergde Verstappen raast over boordradio in knotsgekke GP MexicoRacingNews365 Nederland