Max Verstappen’s driving is under fire after a chaotic and ugly Saudi Arabia Grand Prix that saw the Red Bull driver slapped with two separate time penalties.
The Dutchman was initially given a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage during his fight with Lewis Hamilton, but it was their subsequent collision as Verstappen slowed to let the Mercedes pass that drew significant condemnation.
Hamilton claimed he was brake tested by a “crazy” Verstappen, who was then handed a 10-second penalty after stewards ruled he “braked in a manner which caused a collision.”
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Neither penalty had an impact on Verstappen’s position, given he was well clear of third-placed Valtteri Bottas.
TV footage showed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff screaming in frustration as Hamilton and Verstappen collided, before throwing his headset down in disgust.
“I don’t want to have dirty laundry in here, that was spectacular, but not a good race,” Wolff told Sky Sports after the race.
“It’s really the driving that needs to be assessed and looked at, it’s hard, very hard, we just want to have a clean championship and may the best man win.”
Former driver, now commentator Martin Brundle spoke for many when he said the Red Bull driver had crossed the line.
“Verstappen’s got to look at his driving standards. That was too much today,” he said.
But the Dutchman, who leads the championship on countback heading to the final race, hit out at the penalties that were assessed by the stewards.
Told that he’d been voted ‘Driver of the Day’ by F1 fans, the Red Bull driver said the sport had lost its way.
“Luckily the fans have a clear mind about racing because what happened today is unbelievable,” he said.
“I’m just trying to race and this sport these days is more about penalties than about racing.
“For me this is not Formula 1 but at least the fans enjoyed it.”
Hamilton and Verstappen are level on 369.5 points each with just next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remaining.
If neither driver finished, Verstappen would be awarded the world championship by virtue of the fact he has nine wins this season to Hamilton’s eight.
It would be the first time in history a countback is used to decide the champion.
Verstappen maintained he wasn’t to blame for the collision with Hamilton.
“I wanted to let him by, so I’m on the right but he didn’t want to overtake and then we touched,” he said.
“I don’t really understand what happened there.”
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