Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have been cleared of blame for their collision in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
However the stewards noted Hamilton “could have done more to avoid the collision.”The pair made contact at turn one as Verstappen attempted to pass Hamilton on the inside. The Red Bull driver locked up his wheels and his left-rear wheel touched Hamilton’s front-right.
The contact pitched the Red Bull into the air and Verstappen landed heavily in the run-off area. He was able to continue, but lost another place to Charles Leclerc, who he finished behind. Hamilton took third ahead of them.
Verstappen accused Hamilton of changing his line immediately before they made contact. “He moved in the braking zone,” said the Red Bull driver on his radio.
However Hamilton denied his rival’s accusation in the car at the time. “I didn’t move the steering, mate,” he told race engineer Peter Bonnington, who agreed: “That was Verstappen, he arrived out of control into that one.”
Afterwards Hamilton described the collision between the pair as a “racing incident.”
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“When you see the pace at which they close the gap in certain corners, you just laugh at yourself because it’s not something I can do,” he said. “Particularly in the last sector, they were very, very strong, same as the McLarens.
“I saw him coming from a long way back and he was able to brake a lot later than me. But he’s sent it up the inside, I stayed still and the wheel went over. So I think a racing incident.”
Speaking after the race, Verstappen insisted Hamilton had changed his line. He compared the incident to his defending in Austria when under attack by Lando Norris, which the FIA said should have resulted in a warning for the Red Bull driver.
“I went for a move that was fully on but then in the middle of the braking zone, when I’m already committed to the move, he suddenly just keeps warping right,” Verstappen told Sky. “If I wouldn’t have turned while braking straight, I would have made contact with him. So at one point naturally I lock up because he just keeps on turning to the right.
“People always made a lot about what happened in Austria was not correct – blah, blah, blah – but that’s on the initial move, and then you just brake straight, you hold your wheel quite straight. And I felt like now it was not an initial move, but afterwards, during the braking, he keeps turning right. You cannot do that when someone is committed to the inside.
“That’s why I locked up, because otherwise we would have collided anyway because he would have just turned in on me. So we’ll see.”
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The stewards did not accept Verstappen’s argument Hamilton changed his line under braking. However they did state the Mercedes driver “could have done more” to prevent contact being made.
“On the approach to turn one, both car 44 [Hamilton] and car one [Verstappen] overtook car 23 [Alexander Albon]. Car 44 returned to the racing line before the braking zone and commenced to turn into turn one.
“Car one approached the turn faster than on previous laps (due to DRS) and braked at the same point as previously. The driver of car one argued that car 44 was changing direction under braking. The driver of Car 44 stated that he was simply following his normal racing line (which was confirmed by examination of video and telemetry evidence of previous laps).
“It was clear that car one locked up both front wheels on the approach to turn one prior to any impact occurring but missing the normal cornering line for a typical overtaking manoeuvre.
“The driver of car 44 stated that this was a racing incident, whilst the driver of car one argued that this was a case of changing direction under braking.
“The stewards do not consider this to be a typical case of ‘changing direction under braking’ although it is our determination that the driver of Car 44 could have done more to avoid the collision. Accordingly we determine that no driver was predominantly to blame and decide to take no further action.”
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2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
- Verstappen names Hungarian GP the most stressful moment of his title-winning year
- McLaren team orders “a new situation we’re inexperienced at handling” – Piastri
- Verstappen dismisses critics of “vocal” radio messages and late-night simracing
- Norris’ former McLaren team mates say he was right to give up win
- Mercedes surprised Hamilton’s car was “completely unscathed” in Verstappen clash
Edvaldo
21st July 2024, 16:32
Only way they would not touch was if Hamilton waited for Max to clear him to make the corner. He was too fast in the entry.
And who does that? This is racing.
Racing incident.
Jonathan
21st July 2024, 19:48
Same situation in the Miami GP and in that case the stewards penalized Sainz. He tried to overtake Piastri, blocked the tires on the inside of the corner and just like Verstappen went long hitting other car. WHY is there this imbalance? It’s a joke!? Verstappen should have been penalized for sure! For justice. By the same rules! This unequal treatment is not acceptable. Verstappen does not need this favoritism. If it was a racing accident, then the Sainz-Piastri collision in Miami should also have been considered in the same way.
It is not good for the sport and this downgrades Verstappen’s glory. it’s not good for the future actions that he will take, he has no respect, he is not right. To me he is arrogant. I don’t like his behavior on track, especially the fact that he never takes the blame for his actions.
But in general I don’t like the light hand of the stewards towards him.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
22nd July 2024, 5:30
They do, after all, consider the consequences. Because as you said, Sainz got a penalty in Miami. But this time the offender got the wrong end of the stick. So no harm no foul.
I think it’s ridiculous. I don’t care if this is a racing incident or not. But my gosh can they be consistent for once???
mystic one (@mysticus)
21st July 2024, 23:47
yes!
0) max runs wide at the first corner, and cuts norris who was run wide by piastri, in front, and complains! then
1) at the next corner, max run very wide again, and almost pushed ham off track!
2) later on, max at the same corner, ham gave him 10 cars length space, max run wide again!
3) last incident, ham gave max 2 cars length space, max still run wide!
and there are still people telling the same old story that max was wronged, people have vendetta against him.
even his team fed up today with his attitude!
max has a very hot temper, he forgets his friends, team mates, even his race engineer or team boss, and yells at them all at once without a single thought or care in the world!
erikje (@erikje)
21st July 2024, 16:34
The back marker put Hamilton off line, but he looked to take his line and leave Verstappen space.
Verstappen on the other hand was all wheels locked, out of control and had zero chance of staying on track even if he didn’t have contact with Hamilton.
He desperately needs a penalty. He still believes he’s done nothing wrong because for some reason the FIA refuse to punish him correctly.
Ajaxn
21st July 2024, 17:00
This is how Verstappen drives, its how he has always driven, as he were driving a racing sim. Max was clearly frustrated at not getting by Hamilton, and just sent one. Max expect every other driver to anticipate his antics and back out.
The slow-mo confirm Verstappen was the principle reason for that collision. Hamilton Is calling it a ‘racing incident’, being too diplomatic in my opinion.
Osnola
21st July 2024, 17:36
It was the same kind of racing as was austria. So if stewarding is consistent lewis should receive a penalty.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 17:44
He didn’t weave, though. He passed a backmarker and then resumed the line he was going to take into corner but turned in earlier than usual. That’s what caught Verstappen out. Or put it another way, Verstappen exploited the situation of the backmarker to make an attempt to pass, thinking to himself that if Hamilton moved right again, he could claim Hamilton was weaving. Which sounds like wishful thinking.
MaxGr
21st July 2024, 20:03
Lewis did not turn in earlier than usual. Read the stewards report.
mystic one (@mysticus)
22nd July 2024, 0:00
fia report is a joke really
“The driver of Car 1 argued that Car 44 was changing
direction under braking.”
“The Stewards do not consider this to be a typical case of “changing direction under
braking” although it is our determination that the driver of Car 44 could have done
more to avoid the collision.”
What could anyone do against someone, who pinches people to apex, or runs very wide if he is the on on apex, or if he drives to the edge of the track to not let anyone overtake him regardless of apexes or out of corners? if you back off every single time regardless of track positions or advantages you carry, you just enable that spoiled brat and enlarge his ego! i think ham was way too cautious again whole race against max. 2 times max he tried to spoil ham’s race, 1 time he did to norris too! wants enough, he tried to take it on his own team!
mystic one (@mysticus)
22nd July 2024, 0:02
correction wants (wasnt)
David BR (@david-br)
22nd July 2024, 0:37
MaxGR
I did. The article was updated so my comment was made before the stewards had reported. It did look early but that was influenced by watching Anthony Davidson’s breakdown of the incident and him making that claim. Like I said, it wouldn’t matter anyhow, Hamilton’s speed was normal and the line he took left space for Verstappen. It wasn’t like Alonso braking much earlier into a corner than on previous laps and catching out Russell.
Agent5150
21st July 2024, 18:49
Max is a sore loser. There was no need to take the risky dive and wait for a lap or two to pass hamilton. Max had fresher medium tires against hamilton’s fading hard tires. Poor decision making. He is pass during second stint on Hamilton was also desperate attempt that he could not finish and went off track.
MadMax (@madmax)
21st July 2024, 21:19
I cant remember Norris crashing into Verstappen with front wheels locked in Austria. Bully antics
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
21st July 2024, 18:41
This is it – it’s been the same since that stupid off-track move in Belgium at the Bus Stop back in 2015. He makes the sort of moves you can easily get away with in games or sims and relies on the other person backing out to avoid the inevitable crash…
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
21st July 2024, 22:24
Ah yes, the overtake of the year, funnily enough the same move that Gutierrez was penalized for 2 years earlier and nobody thought special.
Doh
22nd July 2024, 0:19
What move was this? Against who?
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
22nd July 2024, 13:47
Verstappen went around the outside of Nasr into Blanchimont, he left the track on the exit curbs and couldn’t exactly stay side by side him, but he outbraked him into the chicane. Sure, it was impressive that he pulled it off at 17 but it was also dangerous as Optimaximal hinted, and he got great praise for it. There were stories how he practiced that move on the simulator before, it was selected overtake/moment of the year etc., it was really hyped up. But what made me annoyed at the time is the fact that he went off track and it wasn’t mentioned anywhere, whereas Gutierrez did the exact same move on Maldonado at the same place 2 years earlier, and got handed a 5 second penalty pretty quickly, and everyone forgot (this was just a little after Grosjean’s overtake on Massa at Hungary for which he was praised but was also penalised for leaving the track marginally, so it’s not like penalized/over the track limit moves were not recognized). It was just a clear moment of hyping up Verstappen and his ego when it already felt the hype was constant early on in his career, when someone else doing the same thing was just forgotten.
Doh
23rd July 2024, 1:44
Wow good point I hadn’t noticed that at the time. Yeah that’s fair left the track and gained an advantage which made the pass possible. Although not the exact same it is similar to Lewis with Kimi at spa in 08. They gave a penalty because they thought he passed too soon after going off. But very interesting that they have a penalty 2 years prior! You make a great point. I think sooner than later all the younger drivers will put their foot down more often with max and if he keep to his guns he’s going to keep crashing into people and eventually it’s going to hurt him. So far twice he’s got away with it very nicely
Doh
23rd July 2024, 1:46
I do need to add that although I do respect him for his fighting spirit and also appreciate it, he definitely does go too far with it.
PB
21st July 2024, 18:32
Dive bombed and out of control with no chance of making the apex.
“The driver of Car 44 stated that he was simply following his normal racing line (which was confirmed by examination of video and telemetry evidence of previous laps).”
Verstappen needs to be penalised for his constant failure to approach apex on overtaking moves.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
21st July 2024, 18:55
@erikje yeah, Max is clearly not driving in F1 or there’s no rulebook when it comes to him…
mystic one (@mysticus)
22nd July 2024, 0:06
brazil 21 comes to mind… max forgets to brake, goes miles off racing line to ensure noone can dare to overtake him, and not even investigated… just spoilt him to the max, and enlarged his ego to the sky!
Jonathan
21st July 2024, 19:50
I totally agree
Steve (@scbriml)
21st July 2024, 20:09
@erikje An honest appraisal.
If Hamilton “could have done more” to avoid a collision, then Verstappen could have done a lot more!
Doh
22nd July 2024, 0:20
Kinda stupid pov from the stewards how is Lewis supposed to know and anyway that would mean anytime anyone dovebombs the driver ahead should just get out the way lmao
PeterG
21st July 2024, 16:35
no doubt someone will get a penalty because your not allowed to have any contact in hard racing incidents anymore.
in this case yeah it was more max’s fault as he locked up but lewis did seem to turn in even though max was obviously there and going to run wide. if lewis had just held off turning in for a split second he’d have kept the place, max would have run off and no contact would have been made.
i like this sort of aggressive driving and i like seeing drivers take risks and go for overtakes rather than just relying on the easy option of DRS. Sometimes contact will be made but so what, just leave them to race!
PB
21st July 2024, 17:01
Max was doing his common thing of barelling up the inside far too fast with not a hope or attempt to make the apex.
He was as often, unable to make apex or take the racing line, but worse was in a 4 wheel lock up and out of control .
Verstappens tactics are outside the norm, brazil 2021 eg, and this time accompanied with full loss of control.
Penalty deserved and well overdue.
GR
21st July 2024, 18:24
‘Obviously there’ isn’t how it works. There are specific rules about Max has to be alongside by X point etc to claim the corner. The car in front isn’t obliged to just waive through a car behind that barrels on through – there would literally be no racing if that was the case
w0o0dy (@w0o0dy)
21st July 2024, 21:56
Max was ahead before the Apex… So that’s no issue. Max was going to run wide as a result of locking up after Lewis squeezed him. All Lewis had to do was not turn in for 0,5 s and he could have switched back around Max to keep the position. But he tried to hit Max on the back wheel like he always does in order to force damage or a puncture or a penalty for Max. It’s dirty racing and somehow Lewis almost always gets away with it..
SteveP
22nd July 2024, 7:45
Meanwhile, back in the real world:
“The driver of Car 44 stated that he was simply following his normal racing line (which was confirmed by examination of video and telemetry evidence of previous laps).”
SteveP
22nd July 2024, 7:53
Meanwhile, back in the real world:
“The driver of Car 44 stated that he was simply following his normal racing line (which was confirmed by examination of video and telemetry evidence of previous laps).”
DeanR
22nd July 2024, 10:51
Not been here for a few years now but it’s the usual suspects still living in lala land.
Paul Stuart Bernard
22nd July 2024, 16:56
If you fail to break going into a corner, you will be first to the apex, but there isn’t a chance you sre making the corner. Is everyone supposed to wait for you to go back to the front?
As for Lewis trying to puncture tyres with his wing, you are deluded mate.
No one does that- you’re as likely to pick up damage to your wing.
But drivers don’t do that when they are adults.
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
21st July 2024, 18:43
Max *literally* chastised Lando over his radio for making divebomb moves towards the end of the race in Austria. Apparently ‘that’s not how you overtake’.
Hemal
21st July 2024, 16:35
I am in absolute minority, but what Lewis did there should be investigated, and won’t be surprised if they don’t.
HAM turned the corner too early when he had space, VER did dive bomb, managed to get his car ahead into the apex.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 16:41
You seem to be an absolute minority even with yourself! If Max is divebombing like you say and locks up, then it’s down to him.
Hemal Shah
21st July 2024, 16:59
I didn’t say HAM is clearly at Fault, I am just saying he must be investigated.
I don’t know what is tripping you of?
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 17:18
Sorry, I just thought it was funny the way you put it. If Max dive bombed then there’s nothing for Hamilton to answer. But Verstappen is presumably claiming he had to brake heavily and locked up because Lewis was weaving. Anyhow, they’ve summoned both so they are investigating Hamilton’s part.
Timmy
21st July 2024, 16:57
I don’t think you know what an apex is my man…
CarWars (@maxv)
21st July 2024, 16:36
They have learned to beat the rule. They turn in and brake in a wedge.
The rules are being enforced similarly to VAR in football, at a whim and not consistently.
Remove these rules focus on prevention.
A gravel trap at the outside of corner 1 would have helped prevent most of the track abuse during overtaking today again..
erikje (@erikje)
21st July 2024, 16:36
Did you enjoy your first F1 race?
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
21st July 2024, 16:37
Is VER confusing turning around a corner with moving in a braking zone. It was a classic dive bomb and just dumb luck that only VER’s car was adversely affected.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 16:40
Hamilton had to adjust to deal with a backmarker at the end of the straight, so his line wasn’t entirely normal, but it didn’t look like weaving and I thought his line into the corner was predictable.
BasCB (@bascb)
21st July 2024, 16:50
Verstappen was never going to make that corner, he was a torpedo by that moment. The only thing Hamilton might have done more is stay out of the way more, to avoid hitting completely, but I’d say Max got what he deserved with that move, Hamilton was ok.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 17:12
@bascb Hamilton had a real Kimi Raikkonen vibe going on, leaving exactly the space he was supposed to leave and no more. I thought he finessed the situation.
Doh
22nd July 2024, 0:42
Yeah he did very well. Not backing out again for the 10th time but also managing to survive without damage
It’s funny max brought Austria since apparently he did no wrong thereb
MadMax (@madmax)
21st July 2024, 16:41
VER should get a 10 seconds penalty for causing a collision. Pretty simple.
Timmy
21st July 2024, 17:01
But, but… Hamilton didn’t come to a full and complete stop and turn left to get out of the way! It’s 50/50! He should have seen it coming, Verstappen even sent up smoke signals to warn him!
Mayrton
21st July 2024, 19:04
By default
DaveW (@dmw)
21st July 2024, 16:41
There was no way Verstappen was making the corner lock up or not. And Hamilton left him plenty of room to make the corner.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 16:43
@dmw All true, but I did feel that Hamilton didn’t go out of his way to avoid contact. Which he was fully entitled to do. But it seemed a case of: it’s your title to lose mate, if you want to drive like that, go ahead…
DaveW (@dmw)
21st July 2024, 16:53
True he didn’t exactly wave Verstappen through.
Prab
21st July 2024, 16:47
Racing incident for me.
All things said, just pointing out that it was a great battle between Max and Lewis, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
21st July 2024, 17:11
Agreed.
I don’t do the fan thing, so it’s always good for me when two world-class racing drivers get to earn their pay ;)
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
22nd July 2024, 0:54
+ 1
Alonslow
21st July 2024, 16:54
Max divebombed and locked up and Lewis turned in no matter what and you get a crash, racing incident no need for penalties.
That’s is the risk of divebombing the corner, sometimes the other driver will get intimidated and not turn in and if you can slow the car enough you get the pass and other times the defending driver will be smart and turn late and go around or just turn into and crash.
PB
21st July 2024, 17:05
Dive bombing should be strongly discouraged.
If you can’t get anywhere near the apex: penalty.
Johnny
21st July 2024, 17:04
Max is and will always be a one dimensional driver with little in the way of race craft unless he’s got the optimum car, add to that the maturity level… well let’s say Lance Stroll would the ashamed.
Once again the FiA’s doing and RedBull’s coddling of Max, it doesn’t matter the incident, Max is never to blame. This year is turning out to be quite tasty after all.
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
21st July 2024, 17:09
Every race is a new collision for Max. It is unbearable to see this liar and cheap cheat Verstappen anymore.
MacLeod (@macleod)
22nd July 2024, 7:45
@bulgarian reported your insult just stop watching F1 if your can’t difference the 2 worlds.
PB
21st July 2024, 17:11
This is now an acid test for FIA on Max’s dodgy divebomb tactics.
Out of control, no hope of making the corner let alone apex.
Anyone can fail to brake and get a nose ahead by the apex.
Racecraft is in being able to do it and still take a reasonable racing line.
I loathe Max’s unpunished dive bombs and think the FIA must penalize or they change the nature of racing.
PeterG
21st July 2024, 17:16
Good analysis from And Davidson here. Really worth a watch.
https://youtu.be/oqo7LM6RrAw
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 17:40
It looks the same in slow motion and from the different angles as it did at the time: Hamilton moves past the backmarker, takes the racing line on the left and then turns in quite earlier. I don’t think that’s weaving if interpreted in good faith (not the interpretation of his arch rival, obviously). The question is whether Hamilton turning in early or not is seen as a cause of the incident: Davidson’s analysis is that it pushes Verstappen onto the marbles and so compromises his braking – which given his speed meant he locked up. If Hamilton is leaving Verstappen track space then really I don’t see how he can be blamed: it’s up to Verstappen to judge his speed and braking into the corner. Obviously Verstappen’s idea was that Hamilton would stay out left for longer and claim the corner. But I don’t see how Hamilton is obliged to do so. Racing incident.
slowmo (@slowmo)
21st July 2024, 17:50
It’s an all too common occurrence of the latest drivers to expect that their entry should dictate how their rival must take their line through a corner. They constantly try to ensure they get the straightest fastest line with no concession for the other car so if contact happens they blame the other car when in fact the move couldn’t happen unless the other driver conceded the corner.
I blame the FIA and the stewards, they’ve allowed this situation to become the norm through not penalising sooner. The drivers will just do what they can get an advantage doing.
F180 (@f180)
21st July 2024, 18:04
This.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 18:16
@slowmo It does all seem to trace back to the first Verstappen-Leclerc clashes when they decided ‘new racing rules’ would be introduced, allowing ‘harder racing.’ It’s no coincidence perhaps that the two drivers who have most tested the boundaries of the permissible since have been those two drivers. Verstappen’s MO is to ‘push the envelope’, get penalized (as in Austria) and then complain that someone else has done the same to him when, in fact, they’ve done nothing of the sort. He keeps doing it because, essentially, it’s worked for him so far.
slowmo (@slowmo)
21st July 2024, 18:36
And it worked today as yet again he has not been penalised for what was a clear error and caused an accident.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 18:54
@slowmo It feels like an eternal return to the same FIA position. Let Max do his stuff, it’s entertaining.
Jere (@jerejj)
21st July 2024, 17:32
50-50, Max was too fast to make the corner, while Lewis could’ve waited a bit before turning right to let him drive directly past into the runoff area.
D A BOWYER
21st July 2024, 18:07
Properly punish MV take away his world championship earned by RB-coached FIA official who subsequently lost his job for doing “nothing wrong”. For MV’s driving todaybin Hungary hand him a race ban. The guy must be persuaded to change his driving style before he kills someone. The new F1 rules to prevent children gaining a racing licence and being penalised for changing direction too many times weaving dangerously and moving in the breaking zones are All as a direct result of the arrival of MV to F1 so was laughable to here him quoting these rules. When Michael Schumacher stole the 1996 world championship by crashing into Damon Hill the FIA awarded DH the championship. The FIA has played no small part in creating the abomination that is MV by failing to police the sport for the the safety of other drivers.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 18:30
OK so now we have the steward decision, it sounds accurate in its assessment of what happened, even down to Hamilton ‘staying still’ has he put it: in other words, he wasn’t at fault for weaving, which was entirely in Max’s head alone, but could have moved left after Verstappen lost control of his car. But chose not to (which personally I applaud). Did that exonerate Max from a penalty? Unsure.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
21st July 2024, 18:30
Verstappen should have got a penalty. He locked up and smashed into another car. Slam dunk penalty. They need to discourage Verstappen otherwise races will be marred by this behaviour.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
21st July 2024, 21:44
Which is exactly what Alonso was penalised for in Austria. I don’t really understand the difference.
SteveP
22nd July 2024, 7:47
Max always drives that way. He said so himself…
MacLeod (@macleod)
22nd July 2024, 7:49
Actually Max locked up the front and should pass Lewis and Lewis would pass him on the inside again. Lewis just turned in just a second to early thinking Max was already past.
If Max did what you said Lewis wouldn’t continue the race as Max would enter Lewis in his side.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
21st July 2024, 18:35
My view of the various Hamilton-Verstappen incidents over the years has generally been more “Max-aligned” than average, but I can’t see how you could put anything other than 100% blame on Verstappen for that one. There was no way he was making the corner – the only way Hamilton could have avoided the collision was to follow Max into the runoff, which – while theoretically possible – is not reasonable to expect someone to do.
I think a dive-bomb can be a legitimate (if risky) way of overtaking, but you have to be able to make the corner. Verstappen didn’t, so he takes the blame in my view.
Mayrton
21st July 2024, 19:08
Yeah, I agree. Not Verstappens best outing today overall and especially in this incident. Does he however not lock up, the world (except the UK who are simply incapable) would have praised him. It’s a thin line but we expect WDCs to have that nuance.
slowmo (@slowmo)
21st July 2024, 20:21
The issue is not the mistake, its the ridiculous situation of Verstappen yet again blaming others for his errors. People make mistakes, that’s part of life but how you react speaks volumes about a person. I think frustration for other things in the race caused his slight misjudgement.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
21st July 2024, 18:40
That’s a slightly odd stewards outcome. Verstappen went into the corner too fast, missed the turn in, was fully locked up, but Hamilton should have just gotten out of the way?
It’s probably one of those where no penalty is given because Verstappen only really affected himself. Or maybe it’s because he’s dutch?
SteveP
21st July 2024, 18:45
To quote Max, he always drives that way.
In this instance, he has an extra excuse, in that he stayed up late playing games and was probably a little tired.
David BR (@david-br)
21st July 2024, 18:51
@brightlampshade Difficult to tell. I thought it was a ‘racing incident’ because really Verstappen only damaged his own race a bit, two places in effect, though he was to blame for the collision. Had both drivers been knocked out of the race, I really would expect Verstappen to have been given the penalty. Clearly Hamilton ‘stayed still’ as he said after the race because he was willing to risk the effects of the collision to show Max that he can’t just dive bomb pass him. My question is whether the stewards judge that to be legitimate or not? Do they realize that by not penalizing Max, they throw the onus precisely on other drivers to make sure that there is a penalty for trying to barge his way past? Even Norris eventually had to adopt the same strategy of deciding to stay on track in Austria and risk the collision (and indeed they collided).
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
21st July 2024, 18:59
I’m getting tired of this happening over and over again with Max. He’s nearing 200 entries which is where many successful drivers retired and we still talk about it.
He’s clearly gifted but can’t he control his nerves when he’s fighting for position?
By now, you’d expect it to be a cakewalk for a driver like him. I’m sure we’ll still be talking about it when he’s 35 years with 400 entries…
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
21st July 2024, 19:05
These kind of incidents should never be investigated. I was just hard racing.
It is these kind of battles that make motor racing exciting.
Lyndamarks
21st July 2024, 19:46
I agree.
We live in a sanitized world where real hard aggressive racing is no longer allowed in the view of those who claim to be fans.
Nobody would have battered an eyelid had this incident occurred 20+ years ago as this hard aggressive racing was seen as exciting.
I mean how many divebombs with wheels locked did gilles Villeneuve throw at rene arnoux at dijon 1979. And how many times did they bang wheels and force the other off over those laps? Several times and it’s one of the greatest battles in the history of the sport.
I would rather see more like this than the boring excuse for racing we see today where anything that isn’t a drs highway pass is seemingly unacceptable.
DeanR
22nd July 2024, 10:40
I concur to the hard racing point however, the problem is not hard racing it is MAX! He continually drives in this manner! It’s not a hard, wheel to wheel battle when Max is involved it is “I’m coming through, move or we crash” or ” you are not coming through, you move or we crash”. Kudos to Lewis, Lando and all others who say no and put the onus back on Max. Apart from anything else he has a championship to lose, Lewis does not. It’s just dumb driving.
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
22nd July 2024, 18:01
This is one more reason for which these moves do not need to be punished. If you are too aggressive you simple lose out in the long run.
If I remember correctly, in 2009 Hamilton would crash with Massa all the time. Both lost out so eventually they stopped doing it.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
21st July 2024, 21:09
Especially when Max is driving – they should only investigate them if they can penalize the other driver :-)
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
22nd July 2024, 2:22
Hamilton in this incident was more likely to have been punished than Verstappen., but punishing either of them would have been totally wrong.
In my opinion the stewards should only intervene in cases where an offence is clearly deliberate or for clearly dangerous driving (from a safety point of view).
oweng (@oweng)
21st July 2024, 19:06
I thought it was inevitable there would be an incident from quite early on in the race, there usually is when Verstappen is angry about the car, the strategy or some perceived injustice. For me that’s a product of the environment that’s been created around him by Red Bull where he is never wrong and can make no mistakes. And also a result of a lack of proper action taken by F1.
What happened today was relatively minor but seemingly obvious that he should shoulder the blame. It’s not that long since he was complaining about divebombing as a tactic. He was frustrated and went over the limit. Minor penalty. But to do nothing other than say Hamilton should have done more to avoid will just add fuel to Verstappen’s fire and embolden him to keep acting the way he does.
I find it interesting that the stewards have taken into account Hamilton’s thoughts about it being a racing incident which seem to be at odds with what Lambiase was saying about it on the radio. Normally engineers can’t wait to get onto race control to state their innocence.
N
21st July 2024, 20:13
I think Hamiltons race not being affected had more to do with the outcome than anything. had it put him out the race Verstappen would have officially been blamed
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
21st July 2024, 21:39
The way Max was speaking to Lambiase was disgusting. I wonder if he’d be considering jumping ship. Imagine being spoken to like that in a workplace? Max has quite the nasty streak.
oweng (@oweng)
21st July 2024, 21:58
He has done that before. What was a little different this time I thought was the strength of the pushback from Lambiase.
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
21st July 2024, 19:17
In other words by FIA – if you are robbed on the street, it is partly your fault because you could have stayed at home – you could have done more to avoid the robbery. No penalty for the robber!
DaveW (@dmw)
21st July 2024, 19:25
Now that these two cars are going to be on the same piece of track again in races I guess they both have to recall that they are never going to give each other a free inch. Not after Silverstone and Monza 2021, or Brazil, or Imola, etc.
Who had Verstappen and Hamilton trading paint for third place on their 2024 predictions?
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
21st July 2024, 20:10
We can analyse to death but there’s always one common victim denominator. The same one since 2015.
Kurtyburpy
21st July 2024, 20:20
What would have happened if VER took the front wing of HAM with him or if he torpedoes into HAM side side of the car or just a puncture?
Few lap earlier he pulled the same move on LEC if he didn’t swerved a bit they would also have collided no doubt.
Sim racing isnt real, it works for sure sometime but there’s limitation (that being to chose between having contact or standing your ground) with tyre banging we all want to see it obviously but it could have been a very different end of race.
Result once again, collision, no penalty shambolic FIA spectacle
W-K (@w-k)
21st July 2024, 20:45
I think the stewards statement contradicts their conclusion.
Hamilton followed the same line and speed as on previous occasions, while Verstappen arrived faster but didn’t brake until his normal point.
Surely Verstappen should have braked earlier if he was travelling faster than normal, and if he had done so wouldn’t have locked up the brakes causing him to loose steering so that he crashed into Hamilton.
Ergo, by the Stewards comments Verstappen was the more guilty party.
Neil (@neilosjames)
21st July 2024, 20:56
Could be that the ‘aggrieved party’ coming out and calling it a racing incident, and that fact Hamilton probably benefitted from it, had some bearing on the final decision.
Biggsy
21st July 2024, 21:02
Alonso must be scratching his head, recollecting all the edge-cases where stewards decided his minor contacts – or in case of Australia, no contact at all – were so bad, they needed to penalize him and add points to his license, while Verstappen just keeps barrelling into people, causing serious contacts, only to just walk away with a slap on a wrist, or no penalty at all.
Absolutely mind-boggling.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
21st July 2024, 21:08
And Hamilton thinking back to 2011 when he had to do drive through penalties :-)
David West
21st July 2024, 23:51
Good point see Fuji 2008 especially.
It’s obviously on Max but once again no penalty.
He won’t improve his driving until they penalise him for it.
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
21st July 2024, 21:10
Agreed. Clearly the FIA/Stewards have three standards that they apply, one for Max, one for big money teams and one for everyone else. Not a good look for a sport.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
21st July 2024, 21:33
12 months ago, everyone jumped out of Max’s way cause they knew there was no point trying to race him with the inherent speed he could extract from the Red Bull. No one’s race was ever with Max. That advantage is completely gone. Could Lewis have done more to avoid a collision? Sure. Was he obliged to? Of course not. Max completely misjudged his braking as evidenced by all 4 wheels locking up. I don’t think he’s used to drivers racing him and his radio tantrums show his frustration. I wonder how many points he’s willing to throw away before he realises he needs to change the way he races. Norris really isn’t that far behind if Max isn’t scoring podiums.
Ian Stephens
21st July 2024, 22:05
The FIA web site only shows a letter from the stewards to Red Bull, declaring it a racing incident. I guess that is because it was Red Bull who were complaining and not Mercedes, where Hamilton was graciously calling it a racing incident. Respect to Hamilton for that.
Not having access to the telemetry I would have ascribed more blame to the driver who lost of control of his vehicle, rather than the one who was on his normal line. That is why we have professional stewards and give them all the data. I am sure they made the right call this time.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
21st July 2024, 22:59
In Silverstone HAM received a 10 second penalty for dive bombing which VER did not avoid. Red Bull re-enacted the incident in attempt to get HAM banned for a race or two. How is this incident different except for the positions being reversed.
David BR (@david-br)
22nd July 2024, 0:48
@jimfromus The difference is that Hamilton was judged to have understeered (partial loss of control) while Verstappen lost control of the car with the 4-wheel lockup. My previous understanding was that losing complete control of the car through your own misjudgment leaves you fully responsible for any collision. Basically you turn your car into an uncontrolled projectile. But FIA stewards have rewritten the rules again.
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
22nd July 2024, 8:30
In Silverstone Hamilton just didn’t turn. He was the one that caused the colission.
Today they judged that he could do more to avoid the colission, but why would he?
I mean if the defending driver cannot do this then how do they expect them to defend?
Gigantor (@kbdavies)
21st July 2024, 23:31
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/monaco-gp-verstappen-hits-hamilton-in-late-battle-for-lead.6060937773001
Verstappen blamed Lewis for this one as well.
Doh
22nd July 2024, 0:44
Like in Austria max actually got very lucky. Had things gone just a little different both time he may have been left with only a 39 point lead with 11 races still to go. As it’s stands though it’s almost double that
jpvalverde85 (@jpvalverde85)
22nd July 2024, 3:52
Max crashes Lewis, racing inchident, but 10 seconds penalty to Checo for eating a too spicy taco on the pitlane on any race. Kinda not the same ruler to measure.
Craig
22nd July 2024, 8:54
The stewards don’t seem to like to fight the impression that they’ll do anything to avoid giving Verstappen a penalty. It seems if they can find anything, no matter how trivial or even irrelevant, they can use to imply Verstappen isn’t fully to blame for an incident they’ll use it to not give him any penalty at all, even when they’d punish someone else for the same thing.
An Sionnach
22nd July 2024, 10:36
Poor from Max this time, and similar to the kind of desperate move that Lando was trying in Austria. The rules around space encourage people to try moves like this and expect to get space. The older rule that the car in front can hold the racing line is better and simpler. This would let the driver behind know that they can’t just throw themselves into a corner and block the driver in front. The rules need to change and it’s a joke that the stewards rule differently in similar situations.
Max was impatient in this race and dropped points as a result. If he’s to be considered a great, he can’t be doing things like this. Prost, Lauda and Schumacher would not have done this in the same situation. This is more like something Senna would do.
MCG (@malrg)
23rd July 2024, 0:37
I think this was a racing incident, mostly on Max and a bit on Lewis. I do not agree with the emotional arguments for or against either driver.
Lewis fans are shouting that Max is bad, just like they shouted not Lewis at Silverstone a few years back.
Max fans are shouting Lewis is bad, and have in past shouted the same in exactly the opposite situation.
So while you sit there and moan about the F1 being inconsistent, take look at yourself.
The problem here is that Max needs to show a little more maturity and accept his part in a racing incident.
No one wants to crash like this.
powersteer (@powersteer)
23rd July 2024, 8:36
So FIA condones Max’s divebombing and allows him to miss his braking point, miss the apex completely and yet say LH44 shd have done more?
How does this square with Silverstone 21 Stowe’s corner? LH44 shd have the penalty revoked then!!