Max Verstappen finishes fifth in Miami Grand Prix despite five-second penalty

Max Verstappen finished fifth at the 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, marking his best Grand Prix result of the season. The confirmation of his position came after stewards reviewed a potential pit exit infringement.

Verstappen’s race began with a strong start, but a chaotic opening saw him pit early under Safety Car conditions. Replays later indicated he may have crossed the white pit exit line when rejoining the track, prompting stewards to investigate the incident post-race.

In their report, stewards stated:

"When the incident occurred, there was limited video evidence to make a clear decision on whether an infringement had occurred. We therefore decided to investigate the incident after the race, to see if we could get better video evidence of the incident in the meantime, perhaps from other angles. We were able to do so."

The additional footage confirmed Verstappen’s front left tire crossed the solid white pit exit line, violating Appendix L, Chapter IV Article 6 c) of the International Sporting Code. As a result, he was handed a five-second penalty.

Without the penalty, Verstappen would have finished fifth. With it, he dropped to sixth behind Charles Leclerc. However, Leclerc’s own race ended in controversy after he received a 20-second penalty for multiple track limits violations on the final lap. Leclerc spun at Turn 3, hit the wall, and later cut through several chicanes to continue racing.

Final standings confirmed Verstappen’s fifth-place finish, elevating him to seventh in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. The Red Bull driver gained two positions in the standings following the Miami Grand Prix.