F1 Mexican GP: Verstappen penalized after ignoring yellow flags in Qualification

[Ricoow]

Max Verstappen will not start from Pole Position after failing to lift off for yellow flags in the final corner where Valtteri Bottas involuntarily parked his car into the concrete wall. The Dutchman admitted his wrong doing at the Post-Qualification Press Conference.

"I was aware that Valtteri crashed", was Max' response when inquired about the situation during the Press Conference whether or not he was aware of the yellow flags. He set the fastest sector time of the entire weekend in the final sector. When further asked if he backed off the dutchman responded: "It didn't really look like it, did it? No." Replay footage of his pole lap also shows that he passed at least one yellow flag in the final corner.

Where it first seemed that the FIA would not take any action, as his mini-sector time was indeed slower than before on the point where yellows were out, they have called Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen into the Stewards Room to discuss the incident.

After a bit over an hour after the Red Bull driver reported to the Stewards, the FIA released a statement regarding the incident stating that the Dutchman has breached the rules and will be awarded a three place grid penalty. The Dutchman will be starting the Mexican Grand Prix from P4 as a result of this penalty.

What do you think of the decision of the Stewards? Should Max have been more careful with his statement during the press conference? Will this hurt his chances of going for three consecutive Maxican victories?

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[PegaMixel]

We don't need a second Bianchi incident. If there's a yellow flag, slow the f down. End of Story.

 

[LeSunTzu]

Stewards' recent leniency is not for everybody. Verstappen will probably win anyway.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

pity, that was a fantastic lap, but seems like he agrees with the steward's view, so looks settled

 

[Bjay_23]

100 % deserved. He already had pole so it was even more unnecessary. He even said he saw Bottas but just didnt slow down, there were debries everywhere and Vettel, who was infront of him also managed to slow down. And saying you should just take his last lap away is just stupid, its about breaking clear rules that danger the crashed driver and marshalls and this must be penalized, just imagine what would happen to F1 when there were already marshalls on track and Max also lost his car. The rules after that would be 100 times more strict and i think we really dont need to provoke that. For me, 3 places isn`t even enough in this case, driving at full speed under clear yellow and him even saying he saw Bottas should be punished way harder, he purposly ignored F1s rules and put the crashed driver and the marshalls in danger, he should get 5 points on his license or something like that

 

[zwiss]

Max brought a lot of talent into F1, but also the zero respect attitude, not even for other peoples lives...

 

[Sicario Del Toro]

Great driver but is a bit of a bungalow—— no upstairs —- on this occasion.

 

[Appie Kuipers]

Sure no smart move by Max, but the stewards are not allways by the rules, Vettel moving at the start, Leclerc ramming into Max. If they want rules, use them ALLWAYS, and not so now and then!!!!!

 

[Enagee]

Max didn't deserve a 3 place penalty..... .... But him and Charles are getting a little bit too arrogant in my opinion...and need stiff penalties to calm down. Race handed to Ferrari...

 

[Warren Schembri]

Dutch complaining to start in 3.....2....1

 

[muzikant]

Max didn't deserve a 3 place penalty..... .... But him and Charles are getting a little bit too arrogant in my opinion...and need stiff penalties to calm down. Race handed to Ferrari...

Vertstappen and Leclerc are faster then the old generation... no arrogant. Only a change of a new generation.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

Not very mature, this one, Max.

Also: I have the impression, Bottas sometimes doesn't deserve his current car, i'm brutally honest here, as much as i like this dude, but he is no match for his teammate, except some "heureka" moments, but this seems to be the reason, he is there, where he is, i'm afraid.

Most important, though: I'm happy, he is okay after this big hit in the front, that looked extremely violently!

 

[Johnpiou_Mailmanmestari]

I am a Verstappen fan but i agree with this penalty, its a rule, and Vettel slowing down adds up to the penalty.
Gutted of course because its was a great lap, but sometimes you have to think unbiased and think about the rules.

 

[zwiss]

Vertstappen and Leclerc are faster then the old generation... no arrogant. Only a change of a new generation.

"Did you slow down at the yellow flag?"
"No!"
If THAT is not arrogance, then nothing is....

 

[josap11]

I think it is a shame he got a penalty but it was deserved. He should have let off but this proves he still has a way to go. The up-side to this is however, Max will be very annoyed and very much motivated for the race tonight so that might spice it up.

On another note: why was there a yellow flag? Wasn't there a directive that in incidents like that there wouldn't be yellows but the session would be red flagged immediately to avoid these kinds of incidents? So my question really is more, why was there a yellow flag instead of a red flag?

 

[Paul Glover]

Listening to a podcast earlier today, Max has disappointed me with his reactions in the written media press conference. His responses were immature, he has come along way this year so so see this is a shame. He needs to learn from it.

Also on this, the FIA stewards took too long to look at it and make a decision. From my point of view the penalty should have been applied by the time the drivers spoke to Paul Di Resta, it seems so clear cut to me. What is happening here??

 

[muzikant]

"Did you slow down at the yellow flag?"
"No!"
If THAT is not arrogance, then nothing is....

Read my post... verstappen and leclerc are much faster than the old generation. And arrogant.... its a bad word. Then is every body arrogant who wants to win

 

[Bambeakz]

"Did you slow down at the yellow flag?"
"No!"
If THAT is not arrogance, then nothing is....

Oh you would rather see him lie even when the data will proof that he does?

That easy judging all the time. Do you think you would be exactly the same if your life is racing from the day you were born. You never reply bad to anything?

 

[keto95]

And arrogant.... its a bad word.

Every bit of truth is a 'bad word' to you.
Btw, did you find that appartment already?

 

[Mark Ratzenbacher]

still he was the fastest in qualy and that alone is spectacular