War erupts over 'extraordinary' F1 fiasco

2 years ago 338

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has complained his squad is not treated the aforesaid arsenic Mercedes by Formula 1 stewards, aft Max Verstappen was doubly penalised during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was deed with 15 seconds of penalties, firstly for leaving the way and gaining an advantage, and secondly for the incidental which saw Lewis Hamilton collide with the backmost of the Red Bull.

Speaking to Motorsport.com aft what helium called an "extraordinary" race, Marko said Red Bull was "not blessed and we don't judge the decisions."

"Our engineers are preparing that we tin beryllium Max was changeless with his braking, helium didn't brake trial similar Hamilton said," Marko said.

"Then helium crashed into our car, helium unluckily enactment 2 cuts successful the rear tyre. That was truthful terrible that we couldn't onslaught anymore. We had to instrumentality velocity out."

Marko past raised an incidental from 2010, erstwhile then-Red Bull operator Sebastian Vettel was penalised astatine the Hungarian Grand Prix for not staying wrong 10 lengths of the information car, an incidental that handed triumph to Australia's Mark Webber.

During the Saudi Arabian race, Red Bull officials were heard protesting to the FIA that Hamilton had dropped much than 10 lengths behind.

"At the 2nd start, Hamilton was much than 10 lengths behind. Vettel got penalised successful Budapest erstwhile helium did it. But with this manoeuvre helium [Hamilton] was preparing his tyre amended for the start.

"Then helium pushed Max off, nary reaction. So we consciousness we are not treated the same."

Hamilton was called earlier the stewards successful Saudi Arabia for 2 abstracted offences during practice, ignoring yellowish flags and impeding the Haas of Nikita Mazepin. He was cleared of the archetypal charge, portion the squad was fined implicit the second, with nary grid punishment for Hamilton.

It's a lawsuit of assertion and counter-claim arsenic the fallout continues from a bitter contention astatine the Jeddah circuit.

Hamilton and Verstappen are present locked connected 369.5 points apiece heading to this week's finale successful Abu Dhabi, with the satellite title connected the line.

If neither scores a point, Verstappen would beryllium crowned champion by virtuousness of having won much races this season.

The brace person clashed connected way a fig of times already this season, notably astatine Silverstone, which saw Verstappen taken to infirmary aft a 50G interaction with the wall, and Monza, wherever some cars retired aft coming unneurotic mid-race.

Hamilton, who is seeking a grounds eighth satellite title, suggested Verstappen, who is chasing his first, needed to temper his aggression.

"He's implicit the limit, for sure," Hamilton said.

"I've avoided collisions connected truthful galore occasions with the guy. I don't ever caput being the feline that does that. Because you unrecorded to combat different day, which I evidently did."

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