FIA brush off Verstappen's "killing racing" comment
- Published on 05 Sep 2018 15:26
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- By: Fergal Walsh
The FIA has waved away Max Verstappen's comment during the Italian Grand Prix, in which he accused the stewards of "killing racing". Verstappen made contact with Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas as the pair squabbled for the final spot on the podium.
The collision was wheel-to-wheel while Verstappen defended his position into Turn 1. The stewards investigated the incident and deemed it to be unfair driving by the Dutchman. He was handed a five-second time penalty which demoted him to fifth place at the end of the race, while he also received two penalty points on his license.
Verstappen does not have a clean record with the stewards, after they awarded him a time penalty following his off-track overtake on Kimi Raikkonen at the US Grand Prix last season. Verstappen was heavily critical of the stewards in that case, but race director Charlie Whiting is not coming down hard on the 20-year-old.
“I heard that secondhand,” he said when asked by Autosport about Verstappen’s criticism. “I don’t think you can take too much notice of comments made in the heat of battle, but I’m sure at the next drivers’ briefing we’ll have a little chat about that. As I say in the heat of battle, that’s absolutely expected.”
Verstappen suggested that cutting the first turn after Bottas made a half-hearted move earlier in the race was a factor in giving him the penalty. However, Whiting says that the two incidents were not related.
“They were unconnected,” said Whiting. “The "joker" as you put it was cutting the chicane, not actually gaining a place, but staying in front by virtue of cutting the chicane. Which is an advantage of sorts.
“We told the teams that we would normally give the driver one free one, unless of course let’s just say he cut the chicane the first time and gained five seconds and kept it, then we wouldn’t let him have that one. But this one he just stayed in front of Bottas. And you could in theory do that every lap and say I didn’t gain a position, but you stayed in front because you cut the chicane.”
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Replies (12)
Login to replyajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Hard to take Verstappen's comments seriously. Has he ever accepted he made a mistake when he's come in contact with another driver? He reminds me of Maldonado in that regard.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
He reminds me more of Senna or Schumacher. Depends which side of the fence you are on.
Alonzo
Posts: 66
I agree, too much crying about it too, he's been the one defending most of the time, as Ferrari & Merc are faster, If it was the other way around, I'm sure he would be complaining about the opposite...
I feel they let him get away with too much as it is, same for Magnussen & Alonso...
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
He sorta reminds me of an even more moody Schumi, yes. Schumi could be a really sore loser, but even he rarely was this way.
Bhurt
Posts: 320
The comments above. Seriously.
Verstappen is no Maldonado. Neither is he a Schumacher or a Senna. He's a self righteous young man who so far in his career shows no signs of maturing or improving.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Hence my comment. Note the running theme in said comments, my dear with a wounded rectum: potential wasted due to lack of maturity.
KyalamiKid
Posts: 146
What else could they do...
The benchmark is pretty much Vettel telling Charlie to go fornicate with himself, so yeah...
k.gandhiin
Posts: 17
Max moved under braking and it is not new for Max. Since Max's arrival everyone was talking about his defending skills, he has been warned before for moving under braking. He is simply not learning or saying "F-Off" to F1 community.
He is fast driver but this silly mistakes do make him look immature to us.
Patentprutser
Posts: 388
It has nothing to do with moving under breaking. He is allowed to go to the outside to turn in to a corner. He had to leave room for Bottas, that is what this is about. Get your facts straight
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
This time, the problem wasnt moving under braking as much as it was steering into a rival during an overtaking maneuver, which, as has been clearly stated (even among Max' ever adoring fan, Sky) is against the current regulations regarding how you are allowed to defend, as its considered unsafe driving. That is why he was penalized.
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
He hit Bottas because he is reckless and doesn't race fairly. C'mon!
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
Charlie is highly respected and recognizes a non-story when he sees it.