Max Verstappen, the name comes with a shadow of controversy. Since when he won his maiden title by beating Lewis Hamilton, he remained in critic. In 2021, due to the F1 director’s wrong decision, and in 2022, due to a rain-shortened race. Sadly, also with his second Formula One world championship title Max Verstappen had to face little critics because of the rule that FIA has made regarding the rainy days of the weekend races.
In 2022, the Red Bull star became a back-to-back world champion after winning the Japanese Grand Prix. He clinched the trophy of the 2022 season with four races remaining. Max broke the record for winning most races in a season. However, despite those wins, and clear stats representing Max Verstappen as the winner, his title-winning announcement underwent confusion.
The rain-shortened race of Japan last year had three winning contenders, Ferrari’s star Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen. When it started raining too heavily, Charles was about to lead, but soon Sergio Perez came from behind and kicked him off. And just within a blink, the race was over. The Red Bull drivers themselves were in doubt if they would get the full points.
However, full points were given, and Max Verstappen was given the trophy. It is not even the question that not Max but someone else was deserving. But again, the points given in the shortened race seemed inappropriate to many. If Max Verstappen had given the title in Austin, then it would have been a controversy-less title.
This Is How FIA Changed The Points Distributing Rules After Max Verstappen’s Second Title Controversy
Nevertheless, looking at the confusion being raised in Suzuka, FIA has made a change in the points distributing regulations. The clash also follows this rule change that occurred in the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. Unlike before, if now any driver completes two laps but covers less than a 25% race distance will get 6 points.
However, the drivers will be given 13 points if they drive beyond 25% but not 50%. And for covering the track of more than 50% but less than 75%, the drivers will be assigned 19 points. Full points will be given only to those who complete the laps that go beyond 75% coverage.
Now, the one who did not find any doubts in Max Verstappen clinching his second title in Japan must figure out something unfair here. In the new rules, for running between 50 to 75%, only 19 points are asserted. But in Japan, the race constituted only 28 laps, which is just more than 52%. But instead of getting 19 points, he was given full. Last year, FIA justified the distribution of their points by figuring the race as not getting a restart. The Japanese Grand Prix was not suspended and not restarted again, which is why Max was assigned full points.