Formula 1 title contender Max Verstappen has avoided penalisation after being investigated over an alleged overtake under red flags during Dutch Grand Prix practice.
Red Bull‘s hometown hero was summoned to the stewards for allegedly passing Lance Stroll of Aston Martin during free practice one, fearing copping a grid penalty for the race.
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A grid penalty would be particularly punishing in Zandvoort given the tight confines of the 4.18-kilometre Netherlands circuit.
But Verstappen (199.5 points), who’s second to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (202.5) in the world championship battle, avoided receiving a penalty on the basis of the efforts he had made to slow down.
“It is our conclusion that (Verstappen) took every reasonable action to comply with the regulations in that he immediately reduced speed in a safe manner at the earliest opportunity upon the first indication of the red flag, even before a red flag or red-light panel was visible to him,” the stewards said.
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