Twenty seconds of penalties: a lot, perhaps too much, but according to Max Verstappen they were the only price to pay to defend himself. In the Mexican GP, Verstappen was the protagonist of a heated duel with Lando Norris, which cost him two penalties of 10 seconds each. Starting from second place, Verstappen was immediately put to the test by fierce competition, which then resulted in contact with Norris, which compromised his race.
The incident with Norris and the double penalty
During the opening stages of the Mexican GP, Verstappen tried to resist an overtaking move by Norris on the outside of the chicane, taking a line that pushed his rival off the track. The stewards deemed the move too aggressive and sanctioned him with an initial 10-second penalty. Not content, Verstappen attempted to regain the position on Norris, but once again entering too forcefully and causing a second contact. Again, the FIA deemed that the Dutchman had exceeded the limit, inflicting a further 10-second penalty.
After the race, Verstappen reflected on his strategy and penalties, saying: “Our problem is that we were too slow and, basically, I have to defend myself with faster cars. That's why I was put in that position and it went the way it went. Honestly, 20 seconds is a long time, but I'm not going to sit here and cry about it."
Red Bull loses ground in Constructors' Championship
In addition to the bitterness of the result, the Mexican GP marked a crucial moment for Red Bull in terms of constructors. With Verstappen's sixth place and Perez's lack of points, the Austrian team was overtaken by Ferrari in the overall standings. The Maranello team, with Sainz first and Leclerc third, gained precious ground, taking the lead.
Verstappen acknowledged the difficult moment for Red Bull: “The constructors’ championship is gone, and that’s something we’ve known for a while now. But we can do better as a team, I'm sure of it. In general, grip was lacking, especially in the race more than on the single lap."
For Verstappen, however, there is no shortage of time to make amends: the next appointment is already upon us, and the Dutchman will have the chance to redeem himself in the Brazilian GP.
Source statements: SkySportF1
