Max Verstappen was philosophical about his coming together with Lewis Hamilton during the 2022 Sau Paulo GP. After the race he shrugged saying “it probably cost him the race” but admitted “us less so because we were not quick enough this weekend.”
Verstapen revealed, “I just felt it, as soon as I was going next to him, that he had no intention to leave me space,” said Verstappen, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “And okay, if you don’t leave me space, are we just going to collide?”
He added: “I thought after last year, we maybe forget about it, we can finally race you know. Because first of all, when I went side by side, I thought okay, let’s have a good race here.
Zero intention to leave space
“But then you feel it with a driver, if he’s going to leave space or not. And there was zero intention to leave me space.”
Max was for ed to pit for a new nose cone which in effect ruined his race whereas Hamilton was able to continue and push for the win fighting with team mate George Russell in the closing stages.
The stewards issued Verstappen with an in race 5 second penalty which he served when changing tyres, yet after the race had finished Max was to be hit with another penalty.
“The stewards determined that Verstappen attempted to pass Hamilton on the outside of turn one by braking very late. He did not complete the pass in turn one and his excess speed compromised his entry into turn two, at which point he made contact with Hamilton.”
“While the stewards recognise that Hamilton could possibly have given a little more room at the apex of turn two, the stewards determined that Verstappen was predominantly at fault.”
7 penalty points for Max
Max was awarded two penalty points taking him to a total of seven. 12 points is an automatic 1 race ban though Verstappen is set to lose 5 from late November 2021 races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The driver at most risk of receiving a ban is Pierre Gasly. He currently stands on 10 points which only expire next May. Gasly may well find himself serving the ban when he leaves Alpha Tauri and begins his Alpine career at the start of next season.
Lando Norris was also awarded points in Brazil for a crash with Charles LeClerc.
“The stewards determined that Norris was on the inside at turn six when he touched the kerb at the apex and understeered into the car of Leclerc,” they explained. “The stewards determined that Norris was wholly at fault.”
LeClerc calls out Norris
LeClerc called Norris a “dick” on team radio follow this crash but the British driver was sanguine in his post race interviews.
“He tried to go around the outside, there was a bit of contact,” said the British driver
“Obviously I didn’t want any contact, I need a clean race, but I’m not just going to let everyone pass. I’m not here to let everyone pass.
“I tried to hold my line and I held my line as much as possible. Maybe I could have given five centimetres more and he could have given five centimetres more.
“Maybe he should expect a little bit more, me not being able to hold the inside line the whole way through, but I did my best.
“I feel it was a bit of a racing incident – I know he came off worse and that’s a shame. Obviously I didn’t want that to happen but that wasn’t the problem, that was just life and the rest of it was we were just way too slow.”
McLaren have all but forfeited P4 in the costructors’ championship as north their cars DNF while Fernando Alonso collected a huge haul of points for his P5.
READ MORE: LeClerc bust up with Ferrari
Less than one lap into the race, and disaster struck 😩#BrazilGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Nj6D7ohLM6
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2022
