Two years ago at the United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris locked horns at Turn 12 in a battle that would reshape how Formula 1 polices wheel-to-wheel racing. The McLaren driver attempted a daring outside pass for third place in the closing laps, ran wide through the corner, and rejoined ahead of the Red Bull driver. What seemed like a brilliant piece of motorsport instead sparked one of the most contentious stewards' decisions in recent memory, and more importantly, triggered a complete overhaul of F1's racing guidelines.

More F1 news: Christian Horner Reveals What Shocked Him About Toto Wolff's Very Public Max Verstappen Pursuit

The stewards ruled against Norris, determining he wasn't level with Verstappen at the apex and therefore had no right to the corner. A five-second penalty dropped him to fourth and boosted Verstappen back onto the podium, widening Max's championship advantage at a critical moment. But the ruling divided the paddock. McLaren's Andrea Stella was scathing, arguing both cars went off track so both should've gained an advantage. Lando himself disagreed with the call, insisting Verstappen should have yielded after running off the circuit himself while defending. Red Bull's Christian Horner, though, saw it as crystal clear and black and white.

More F1 news: McLaren's Junior Star Leonardo Fornaroli Lined Up as Oscar Piastri's Potential Replacement

The controversy didn't stop at Austin. Drivers raised the ambiguity in the existing wording directly with the FIA at the Mexico City Grand Prix the following weekend, arguing the guidelines allowed defending drivers on the inside to brake late just to claim the apex, even if they left the track themselves. The FIA acknowledged these concerns and committed to updating the standards, with George Russell representing the drivers' perspective in discussions during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend.

More F1 news: Charles Leclerc Admits Ferrari's Missing That Raw Pace to Challenge the Big Boys

By February 2025, the FIA published revised Driving Standards Guidelines that explicitly closed the loophole exposed at COTA. The new rules require an overtaking car on the inside to take a reasonable racing line and stay within track limits throughout the entire move. That single moment at Turn 12 fundamentally altered how F1 would police racing going forward, proving that even penalties can drive meaningful change in the sport when enough voices demand it.

Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch  •  Lando Norris merch  •  George Russell merch  •  McLaren merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  Mercedes-AMG merch