Max Verstappen is under investigation by the stewards for allegedly impeding Valtteri Bottas during the first flying laps of Q3 for the Mexican Grand Prix.
Bottas came across the Red Bull driver in the stadium section of the circuit, with Verstappen off the racing line. Bottas locked up under braking for Turn 13, ruining his flying lap.
The stewards later announced that they were investigating the incident to determine whether Bottas was illegally impeded by Verstappen.
Bottas claims that Verstappen’s actions ‘ruined’ his first flying lap in the crucial final session.
“I was on my lap and I could see coming into the last sector that he was going quite slow on the exit of Turn 12 ad compromised my line a little bit before Turn 13 and I had a lock up there, so definitely ruined my lap,” says Bottas.
“I don’t know what the rulebook says exactly. What I know is that it ruined my lap and I had one attempt in Q3 instead of two.”
Verstappen strongly refuted any suggestion that he had unfairly compromised the Mercedes driver when asked after the session about the incident.
“There is no incident for me,” says Verstappen. “That’s his own problem, if he out brakes himself in the next corner. I was on the inside, I didn’t hold him up. He can say what he wants.
“I was already past the point where you go to the right, so I don’t see an incident.”
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hahostolze (@hahostolze)
28th October 2017, 20:55
At what point does reputation start replacing reality? He got out of the way, not ideally but perfectly normally. This is so typical.
marcelh
28th October 2017, 21:09
He as driving extremely slow on exit of the corner. Although it was at the point where they normally cross over to the other side. But i can understand that when you come out of the corner full speed and you see a car almost standing still you go into evasive mode, that is what Bottas seemed to do. So in my opinion it could go either way.
Jelle van der Meer (@)
28th October 2017, 21:13
Of course he went really slowly, if he had gone round the next corner there would not have been any place to move aside. It is unfortunate that Bottas caught Max in the stadium but if you relook the footage you see that Bottas ran wider in previous corner and should already have been more to right when he passed Max then he did. That he missed his breakpoint is all Bottas own fault.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
29th October 2017, 0:06
He could have gone a little quicker and then Bottas won’t have had to avoid him so suddenly. He’d have had more time to react and go round without it affecting him much at all. I do think Verstappen could have done a better job, but a penalty probably will have been a bit much. But if this was in the final run and on Bottas’s best lap, then I’m not totally convinced he’d have got away with it. Bottas will have assumed that Verstappen ahead of him was on a fast lap as he was at first. He then decided to slow down so it was Verstappen’s fault this whole think came about.
Anon
28th October 2017, 21:13
And if they had not investigated the situation, no doubt there would be those accusing the FIA of going easy on him – whatever they do, they will be condemned by somebody.
PMR
28th October 2017, 21:17
Is COnnely a steward at this race? In that case he’s certainly screwed
Markp
28th October 2017, 21:00
They will not dare. If no penalty last race they may have done here. Rather than sit quiet last race after the deserved penalty he made a lot of noise and I think that will influence the stewards here.
JKr
28th October 2017, 21:04
Bottas made a mistake himself. Max cannot disapear in thin air.
Jere (@jerejj)
28th October 2017, 21:29
I don’t think Max should be penalized for this incident. He was out of the racing line, so Bottas just focused too much on him, and, therefore, missed the braking point for the following corner.
PMR
28th October 2017, 21:46
And Bottas was never gonna get higher up then 4th
Neil (@neilosjames)
28th October 2017, 21:34
Looks 50/50, wouldn’t be particularly surprised whichever way the stewards go. He did get in the way, and had he not been there I don’t for a second think Bottas would have locked up and lost his lap… but it wasn’t intentional and he was obviously trying to get out of the way.
Michal (@michal2009b)
28th October 2017, 21:38
No penalty, confirmed!
RogerRichards
28th October 2017, 21:45
not sure about a penalty but as they showed in Sky’s post session coverage Max been there did prevent Bottas taking the wider line off the corner he had been running on his other laps & having to move over to the right sooner than normal did put him on the dusty/dirty line with less grip which likely contributed to his lockup at the next corner (as it has all weekend with various lockups, spins & slides caused be drivers been fractionally off the racing line on the dust).
George.be
28th October 2017, 21:47
The real question is: Why was Max driving that slow in that place.
If it’s to get a clear next lap, I would prefer to see him do some time management along the straights.
If he was on an in-lap it’s even worse.
I get the feeling he didn’t think this through… Or, it was deliberate.
Like all top notch drivers, he’s good AND ruthless
erikje
28th October 2017, 21:57
Not again.. come on. He could not disappeared in thin air and he was rightly lining up for a fast round. The track is full with corners so it’s not possible to do that only on the straights.
He obviously did his best to get out of the way, no intent ( that even implies the team was helping because he can not know who is coming and at what moment he should “block”.)
So another theory for the bin.