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Max Verstappen has been issued a warning for a post-race virtual safety car breach at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - but further such infractions "may incur significant penalties".
Verstappen finished the 51-lap race in fifth, being overtaken by Norris late on and then pitting for fresh tyres, which he never got to make use of as the race went under virtual safety car conditions following the Sergio Perez/Carlos Sainz crash and remained that way beyond the finish.
Along with Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, Verstappen was swiftly placed under investigation for an alleged virtual safety car infringement a few minutes after the conclusion of the race.
In all four drivers' cases, this related to overtaking other cars on the cooldown lap - which is normal practice, but which is specifically prohibited while a virtual safety car period remains in effect.
"Max is overtaking everyone, it's still a VSC, right?" Norris reported to his McLaren team at the time. "I don't know if it matters or not but... still a VSC."
Verstappen overtook George Russell's Mercedes and Norris' McLaren at low speed on the main straight at the conclusion of their respective cooldown laps - to give each of the pair a friendly wave.
Article 56.6 of the F1 sporting regulations says that "no driver may overtake another car on the track whilst the VSC procedure is in use" - unless it happens as related to pitlane entry or exit or if the rival car "slows with an obvious problem".
Earlier this season, Daniel Ricciardo received a 10-second penalty that was converted into a three-place grid penalty (as he hadn't finished the relevant race) for overtaking under safety car - albeit that was in race conditions.
An equivalent penalty for Verstappen would've demoted him one place in the Azerbaijan GP classification, but team boss Christian Horner was confident this wouldn't come to pass, and indeed the stewards ultimately opted to exercise discretion - simply warning him, as well as Hulkenberg, Gasly and Ocon.
All four were "reminded that while passing after the chequered flag is not unusual it is prohibited in the case of yellows, safety car or virtual safety car procedures", wrote the stewards.
"While the drivers were aware of where the incident was, they could not have known if emergency equipment or marshals were being dispatched onto the track.
The stewards added that they are "aware that this has happened earlier in the season and was not noticed at the time" - which seems to have contributed to the quartet escaping with warnings.
"Further breaches may incur significant penalties," the stewards added.
