Watch: Verstappen Causes Collision With Championship Leader At Daytona

Monday, 13 January 2025 at 15:17

Max Verstappen received his first penalty in 2025 after causing a collision with the championship leader in the final round of the 2024-25 GTP IMSA Global Esports Championship.

Like all other F1 drivers, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen is now in the middle of the winter break. During this time, the four-time world champion has pretty much no obligations, and the only thing he needs to do is keep himself in shape and ready for the next F1 season.

It is well known that Verstappen loves sim racing, and having some free time allowed the 27-year-old to enter the final round of the 2024-25 GTP IMSA Global Esports Championship at Daytona as a wildcard option in his own team - Verstappen.com Racing.

The Dutchman is one of the best sim racers in the world, but the race at Daytona hasn't gone very well for him. Starting from P3, Verstappen went for an ambitious move down the inside on the Championship leading Williams BMW into turn one.

The F1 driver locked up his rear wheels and went wide, crashing into Williams BMW and taking it off the track with himself.

Not only did Verstappen suffer damage, he also received a drive-through penalty for causing a collision. Later in the race, he had one more collision, although it wasn't his fault. Ultimately, the 27-year-old F1 driver finished in P14. He said after the race:

"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."

"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. I tried to overtake a backmarker – I think a GTD car – and he didn't keep his line."