Formula 1 is beginning to not laugh thanks to what until now has been its darling, three-time champion Max Verstappen. The still leader of the World Cup, with 47 points ahead of Lando Norris, has been earning the antipathy and criticism of rivals and commissioners, who have changed their standard when it comes to measuring his actions.
In the Mexico City GP, in which Carlos Sainz won, the Dutchman was punished with a double 20-second penalty for his maneuvers on Lando Norris, when a week before in Austin the Englishman was exonerated and sanctioned for overtaking by the outside after being forced to go off track.
In Mexico, the stewards changed the criteria: they imposed a 10-second penalty for forcing Norris to go off the track in turn 4, and a second 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage by following the loophole at turn 8 (to maintain the position in front of the McLaren).
Complaints from rivals
Norris accuses Verstappen of “not very clean driving”, so he “got what he deserved” from the stewards
Max Verstappen has always been a tough, forceful driver who has not been squeamish when it comes to defending his position. A worthy disciple of the Michael Schumacher school, who resorts to dirty play if he considers it necessary, taking his rivals off the track. He did it with Lewis Hamilton, risking the 2021 title (his actions at Interlagos or Silverstone were flagrant), and he has repeated it with Lando Norris in several episodes. The last ones, in Mexico. And the Englishman has had enough.
“I knew what awaited me. I didn’t want to wait for something like that because I respect Max a lot as a driver, but I was prepared to wait for something like that. It is not a very clean drive, in my opinion, but I have avoided it,” commented the McLaren driver, who was taken off the track by Verstappen on lap 10.
The Englishman, who has cut 37 points from the leader in the last eight races (from 84 in Silverstone to 47 now), is chastened by Verstappen’s aggressive style. “I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max. It is clear that it does not matter if he wins or comes second, his only job is to beat me in the race, and he will sacrifice himself to achieve it, like he did today.”
Norris sends a veiled message to the stewards for upcoming races: “I want to have those difficult, but fair battles. “Max is never going to make life easy for anyone, especially me at this point in the year, but I think today was not a fair or clean race, that’s why I think he got what he deserved,” said the Englishman.
Carlos Sainz
“To Max, either you are aggressive like that, or you never pass him”
Carlos Sainz has been another of the voices that has been raised against Verstappen’s aggressively excessive driving. He already did it in Austin, when the Madrid native judged that the Dutchman should be sanctioned “for going too long” and taking Norris off the track.
The Spaniard from Ferrari confessed after winning the Hermanos Rodríguez that his overtaking on Verstappen had every intention, knowing how the three-time champion acts: “I came with anger, I didn’t like losing the position at the start and I said: ‘it’s time to take a risk ‘. I was a little stung at the start, I went for it and it worked. Either you go aggressively with Max or you never pass him. “We had to be aggressive.”
Toto Wolff
“When the rules allow a certain way of competing, a driver like Max will always exploit it”
The head of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, also spoke about Max Verstappen’s actions, although in a more aseptic manner, focusing on the rules and their interpretation. The Austrian – who longs to sign the Dutchman – believes that the penalties from the Mexican stewards will change the way the drivers compete from now on.
“A driver will always push the limit and when the rules allow a certain way of racing, a driver like Max will always exploit it,” Wolff said.
“I think there has now been a new interpretation and execution of those rules, which will change the way everyone competes in the future,” predicts the Mercedes boss, who predicts that “you will probably have to leave room on the outside.” of the curve if the car is next to you. Braking late and dragging the other car off the track while also driving off the track, I think that is no longer allowed.”
Verstappen’s replica
“Maybe they should give me a 30-second penalty next time and go for some record; “I’m not going to cry because of the sanction.”
Max Verstappen, who accepted the double penalty during the race with less vehemence – his track engineer reminded him that the oven is not for buns to despise the marshals on the radio – opted for irony when he got out of the car.
“I don’t know, maybe they should give me a 30-second penalty next time and go for some record. I don’t know. It is what it is. I’m not going to cry about the penalty. We accept it and move forward,” the Dutchman said defiantly.
“Last week (in Austin) there was no problem, this week they gave me a 20-second penalty. It is what it is, I continue competing,” added the three-time champion, evidencing the change in interpretation of the stewards.
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