Max Verstappen blamed the timing of a red flag during Q2 for his early elimination in the rain-hit session.
The Red Bull driver ended Q2 in 12th place having been unable to start his final flying lap when Lance Stroll crashed ahead of him.The Aston Martin driver spun into a barrier at the Curva do Sol, damaging the right-hand side of his car. He was trying to rejoin the track as race control initially covered the incident under waved yellow flags.
By the time they red-flagged the session there was less than a minute of time remaining. As it takes over a minute for drivers to leave the pits and start a lap, race control took the decision not to resume Q2.
Verstappen was infuriated by the late stop to proceedings. Had the session been red-flagged immediately, there might have been enough time to restart Q2, potentially allowing drivers time for a further run.
“It’s just the car hits the wall, it needs to be a straight red,” Verstappen told Sky. “I don’t understand why it needs to take 30 or 40s for a red flag to come out. It’s just bullshit.”
“It’s so stupid anyway to talk about,” he added, “it’s ridiculous.”
The Red Bull driver already has a five-place grid penalty for today’s race due to exceeding his maximum number of power unit parts.
This article will be updated
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2024 Brazilian Grand Prix
- “I didn’t really want to come back” – Hamilton explains cryptic Brazil radio message
- Ocon’s role in Gasly’s Q2 exit was almost another ‘flare-up’ at Alpine – Oakes
- Interlagos must improve “very bad” new track surface for 2025, say F1 drivers
- “That’s how we silence them”: Verstappen’s stunning Brazil win from start to finish
- Verstappen now has as many wins as F1’s first six world champions combined
Tom
3rd November 2024, 11:55
Verstappen has no ability to complain about the FIA. He kept quiet after 2021 and should do so now.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:04
He was far from quiet in 2021. That season was so totally rigged against him, it would be impossible to keep quiet. Bringing Mercedes back into contention by changing the tires (in season!), allowing them to run illegal wings. Letting them misuse the engine regulations. Going along with Mercedes proposal to clip RedBulls pit stop advantage. Being lenient towards Lewis at Silverstone allowing him to win while taking his competitor out. Rigged. And it is happening again. FIA is the most biased sport regulator in history. It can’t be taken seriously as a sport competition. It is an orchestrated entertainment franchise.
Tom
3rd November 2024, 12:08
Cry more. He was gifted a championship. Stop moaning about the FIA now.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
3rd November 2024, 12:10
No, it was clear that HAM was given the chance to catch back up, to close out the season, but the FIA made good on making sure he didn’t have a chance at the last turn.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 14:53
Yes, there’s a point with these conspiracies, because over that season everything went right for hamilton and wrong to verstappen, in terms of luck\stewards decisions, except abu dhabi’s last incident, and people remember just that.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:22
Why would I? They are clearly incredible biased. Max wasn’t gifted a championship at all. They threw anything but the kitchen sink to prevent it, but it didn’t work. That’s something completely else. Now, they try exactly the same. And it may all not be about the pawns but about keeping the fight going until the last race. They manipulate for revenue optimisation. Just because you like the result where this is going, it doesn’t make it right.
Tom
3rd November 2024, 12:33
Boo hoo.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:36
Thanks for the solid counter argument.
Tom
3rd November 2024, 12:42
You’re welcome, your “argument” is mad ramblings which deserve no thoughtful reply.
David
3rd November 2024, 13:37
Pure nonsense, for example Spa he got a win and points from a non-race.
He got a massively lenient penalty in Jeddah too.
You could easily argue his penalty at Monza was also lenient.
The FIA bias was in that last race when they changed the rules for Max to take the title.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 14:54
David, don’t you think it’s reasonable to assume verstappen would’ve won at spa 2021, had the race gone ahead, with his wet weather ability and that hamilton would’ve come 2nd? In that case verstappen actually lost a couple of points relatively, in that race.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:41
How was 2021 rigged AGAINST him? They literally gave him the title. He could have been treated far harsher for a lot of his driving that year.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 14:56
Perhaps you should check bahrain (hamilton cutting the track 29 times), the exploding baku tyre, the red flag at imola, the penalty decision at silverstone, the bowling in hungary to know everything went wrong for verstappen that season, maybe also the early incident in abu dhabi.
CP
3rd November 2024, 12:49
Did we watch the same 2021, in fact did you watch it or are you a 12 year old fam who watched it post the event on social media?
Love to know more about the illegal wings and “misuse of engine,
I mean we can all make stuff up, like Redbull convincing the FIA to disqualify Lewis due to a bent wing or allowing Max to dive bomb and break check as a driving style….oh wait the last two happened and weren’t fragments of my imagination.
ChrisJ (@chriju0411)
3rd November 2024, 12:53
Ok
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
3rd November 2024, 14:32
@Mayrton Wow Mayrton – you should have your synapses checked. Clearly anything going forward comes out backwards :-)
grat
3rd November 2024, 14:53
So how are things in Bizarro world these days?
Grant
3rd November 2024, 14:42
That SPOILT BRAT!!!
BLS (@brightlampshade)
3rd November 2024, 11:56
Tell us what you really think Max
I understand his frustration and hope they give him a pass for using naughty words.
Just the luck of the draw sometimes, the lottery of leaving it late to set a time in a wet session.
Patrick (@paeschli)
3rd November 2024, 12:10
First run on inters he was impeded by Ocon.
At the time Stroll crashed Verstappen was still P10 in the standings.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
3rd November 2024, 12:22
2 seconds after the crash he wasn’t since Leclerc put in a faster lap and red flag never gets pulled out that quick.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
3rd November 2024, 12:22
True, but about 3s after Stroll crashed Leclerc knocked him down to 11th. So even with a super quick red flag he was likely out with not enough time to go again.
It’s a shame as he was looking rapid, but now I can look forward to Max zigzagging his way up to the front of the pack later.
Patrick (@paeschli)
3rd November 2024, 13:14
Unless he gets crashed into turn 1
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 11:58
This really doesn’t need any more confirmation now does it? They made it happen. Waited until Norris finished his lap before bringing out the Red Flag. What a totally transparent competition distortion, ..again after yesterdays VSC farce. They do anything to help keeping the championship tight. Hollow season once again after 2021. There is so much meddling by Race Control that it is hard to keep calling this a sport.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
3rd November 2024, 12:11
Norris was in the top 10 anyway. To all the Max conspiracy theorists I ask: if they were so willing to help Norris, why did they throw the red flag for Sainz when Lando was 300 meters away from start/finish and could thus not improve his lap to be in the top 10? Why not help him there then?
If red flag was pulled out earlier, Max would had been outside the top 10 either way. And Lando would had been in it.
anon
3rd November 2024, 12:38
@spafrancorchamps it’s Maryton – the same guy who was throwing abuse at you previously for apparently being a “biased Brit”, even though you pointed out that you are not British. Why do you think that logic will be able to get through to somebody who doesn’t want to let basic facts get in the way of their ranting and raving?
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 14:59
Very good point, your comments are those that make most sense in terms of clarifying conspiracy theories, I’m seeing a lot of childish comments that don’t help at all.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:33
Wow you just see the bias from a mile away. If you want true bias look at people like yourself saying everything must be rigged because ‘your driver’ was disadvantaged in something that was predominantly bad luck. Race control now biased against him? Who else will it be tomorrow, the FIA? The world?
Red Bull should be looking at their processes rather than pointing the finger at race control anyway. Perez had the correct attitude in criticising the team for the way they went about sending the cars out.
W-K (@w-k)
3rd November 2024, 12:54
Verstappen should stop complaining.
If he had been in front of Stroll’s crash and had completed first 2 sectors with time that was competitive he would have welcomed the ‘late’ red flag.
He always only considers his view of events, never the whole picture.
PeteB (@peteb)
3rd November 2024, 12:06
It’s obvious what the FIA are doing just as it was in 2021. It’s interesting though because it really exposes who didn’t like 2021 because it was unfair (as everyone claimed) and who actually just didn’t like 2021 because their driver lost out…
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:09
Exactly. ’21 most rigged season but getting some serious competition from ’24.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
3rd November 2024, 12:16
2021 was about shifting demographics and attitude. Those people don’t care about who likes who, they only care about attracting younger audiences whom are easier to fool and exploit. This is marketing. This is how producers exploit consumers, and the nature of the state/establishment’s relationship w/ the commoner going back over 100 years.
2021 brought Max in to play, 2022 and 2023 were about ‘cementing’ the legendary status of Max, 2024 is about attracting rivals, and provoking closer fights. This show is completely rigged and oriented at people who like drama, not really the technical aspects of racing.
The axiom, if you believe a clown, you become a clown, (you are what you eat) is conserved, in this medium. That is why the commentary continues to get worse, more excuses made, etc… Eventually the show loses all credibility, and the audience moves on, this is the nature of entertainment industry, using up venues/artists until all the juice is squeezed.
F1 was FAR BETTER under Bernie. And in the hands of cigarette sponsors, instead of the current cancer that is eating F1 currently.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
3rd November 2024, 12:17
#RollerBall
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:32
I think that is a fairly right assessment of how stock listed entertainment companies work:
. I a afraid the time of F1 as a sport is over. It will become entirely scripted in the near future.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 15:03
These conspiracies make a lot of sense, hopefully over time we’ll get more than 3 people on the site to agree with them, it’s hard to poke holes through what you said here.
And the alternative to f1 trying to orchestrate a close championship fight is domination, and who really wants to see seasons like 2020 or 2023? Not me at least.
Mooa42
3rd November 2024, 12:24
Made sense to me, they let all the cars who were in front of the accident finish their laps as they didn’t need to pass the accident. verstappen and Ocon had to slow as the accident happened in front of them, that’s just bad luck, not a conspiracy!
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:53
absolutely, but that doesn’t fit the narrative of some of the people on here.
PlosslF1 (@f1-ploss)
3rd November 2024, 13:38
You cant stop truth or logic getting in the way of a good conspiracy theory ;)
Mike Davies (@nanotech)
3rd November 2024, 12:17
Definitely not a good look for race control there, and I’m the furthest from a Max fan there is. Dodgy and frankly unsafe. Car in the wall, throw the red in quali.
Apparently we forget this sport is dangerous after about every 10 years.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:33
Revenue matters most. Safety only matters if the customer (viewers) start noticing it is not prioritised. It is then when you come with some actions to create the perception it matters.
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
3rd November 2024, 12:18
Waiting for 40 secs to pull the red flag were in other instances it is almost direct seems not correct. I understand he was angry because if they deployed red flag right away he was still 10th.
But also a bad call from RB for not having Perez and Verstappen at the front when the session restarted.
Davethechicken
3rd November 2024, 12:33
2-3 secs after the accident Max was already down to 11th as Charles completed his lap.
There was no scenario that Max was into Q3 and Lando not.
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
3rd November 2024, 13:29
Maybe he could made another lap if the red flag was right away. So 1.30 on the clock left, but would be close.
Davethechicken
3rd November 2024, 13:46
Ray, I don’t think he would have had time anyway, with a lap time of 1:27 flat out he would not have had time to get down the pit lane and across the line to start.
For comparison it took 5.5 seconds for the red flag in Grosjean’s horror fireball, the most obvious immediate red flag I can recall.
The clock was 1:37 when the Stroll crashed so no realistic chance for Max to put another lap in.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 15:07
Yes, this is good example to bring up about grosjean accident, if they weren’t able to do it in 3 sec there, they never will, let’s say they did in 6 sec, so 1 min 31 left: they were doing 1.25s, I believe, at that point, and inevitably you lose a few sec in the outlap, I think very unlikely, even by rushing the outlap, to make it in time.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd November 2024, 12:22
Race control was unnecessarily slow (again) with red-flagging for the Sainz & Stroll incidents, especially the latter.
Simply an increasing likelihood of getting T-boned.
tielemst
3rd November 2024, 12:23
It’s kind of amusing to see people jumping to all kinds of theories when a driver makes a statement. He’s definitely got a point that it can take a very long time for race control to do the obvious. But it happened to other drivers and is in no way a conspiracy (and Verstappen is nooit accusing anyone of that btw). Just bad luck (or a lack of judgement to go out behind Stroll :)).
Grapmg
3rd November 2024, 12:29
Good point. He said with a early red flag there would have been more time to resume Q2. Frustrating for Max would have loved to see him head to head with Norris in Q3. Still good finish from Norris think he deserved that pole with some good last laps in Q3.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:35
It doesn’t help they did it yesterday as well with the VSC timing and the same driver benefits while the other is again on the short end.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:52
Or you could say it allowed Max to close up and have a go at Oscar when he otherwise wouldn’t have caught up. Take the foil hat off for 2 seconds.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 15:09
Good point, stroll has been in f1 since 2017 now, verstappen should know how he is!
SteveP
3rd November 2024, 12:25
Says Verstappen. I wonder if that’s more money in the FIA swear box?
Not sure why he’s so upset about the timing. He was just above the drop zone when the yellow flag came, 2 seconds later Leclerc crossed the line and put him into the drop zone. Even with the most minimal of pause for RD reaction (5-10 seconds minimum, realistically) before there’s a full red, he’s eliminated. The longer delay for the red made no difference, Leclerc had almost certainly done the damage before the RD even saw a video shot of the Sainz crash site, never mind reacted to it.
Meanwhile, Lando was 11 seconds from the line but already through to Q3 anyway (P4) so Max was looking at a certainty of a 13 place deficit even if Lando did no better at any point, or they stopped qualifying at that point (Q2)
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:27
Cry me a river, total political rubbish. If that have been the other way around they’d be more than happy.
Race control took a logical course of action to allow non-yellow flag affected cars to finish their laps, knowing there would be no restart.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 12:40
no, they wouldn’t. That’s the whole point. That’s a worst case scenario for FIA/FOM who must at all costs keep this fight going until the last round of the season.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:43
Wow you blow me away with your clearly balanced and persuasive argument.
Mayrton
3rd November 2024, 13:04
Well, let’s just see. I predict that should Max move nicely fwd during the race, they Red Flag it before he reaches a serious point position. It is clear Herbert is not having it.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 13:12
More proving my point. Herbert is not against anyone, he was just there when Max did something wrong to get punished for. You’d be saying whoever that was as being biased rather than accepting (even Max accepts) that he did something wrong and got punished.
You could argue that T1 in both USA and Mexico he could have been punished for pushing another driver off the track but wasn’t. Maybe I should claim Herbert was being unduly lenient on Max because he likes him so much.
Neil (@neilosjames)
3rd November 2024, 12:31
Slow decision-making is becoming something of a habit this season. Can’t remember if it was like this before, but blindingly obvious calls (eg putting out a V/SC for Sainz and Perez in Baku) aren’t being made in the timescale I’d expect them to be, often for no apparent reason.
The Stroll one today did have an apparent reason, as it was obviously done to allow drivers to complete laps. I’ve heard people saying it might have been delayed as Stroll could have been able to get going again, but modern F1 doesn’t allow full-speed driving until any barriers that have been struck are checked over/put back in place, so it was a red anyway for the barrier-check.
At least they threw one out quickly for Albon.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:36
If Albon had crashed in T2/3 they’d have delayed it as well, it was because it was T1 and cars finishing laps wouldn’t be able to do so safely without putting Albon in danger. T2 and T3 covered under waved yellows is incredibly safe as the cars are down to 50mph already through T1.
Look for reasons why the decision is made slowly rather than thinking all decisions should be made as quickly as possible.
drmouse (@drmouse)
3rd November 2024, 12:35
I think it’s fairly obvious that the red flag was delayed “for the show”, and they waited for everyone whose lap wasn’t caught by the yellow flag to finish. IMHO, they really should not be playing with safety regulations “for the show”.
But for Verstappen to be complaining about it when the officials playing fast and loose with safety regulations “for the show” gifted him his first WDC is laughable.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 12:51
There is no safety issue here:
– in a race it would have been safety car, not a red flag.
– he was clearly fine, still had the engine running, and even tried to move the car after the red flag was shown (unaware he had too much rear damage to move properly).
– there was little chance for more running in Q2 if the red flag had come out, partly because of the time on the clock and partly because of the weather and most people were not setting their best time on their first flying lap.
– they could have just left waved yellows there for the remainder of the session, but waited until everyone who could set a fast time to do so and threw the red flag only then, rather than continuing to wait.
That is logic, not bluff and bluster rubbish from fans of a disadvantaged driver. It was mostly bad luck that Max was where he was, and partly RBR for not keeping them both in the garage keeping the tyres warm like they did with Ferrari.
Richard
3rd November 2024, 13:48
Not sure I follow your logic there…
On a drying track even when slowing down for a yellow flag, you might be able to improve your time.
So why not wait for everyone to finish their lap
MichaelN
3rd November 2024, 12:46
It’s not been normal to wait for people ahead of an incident to complete laps.
I recall a few drivers losing their lap while already on the S/F straight in recent years.
It is, however, a good approach if it can be safely done.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
3rd November 2024, 13:15
Well Max pushed for Leclerc to be punished for swearing which he was, so I expect that Max will get something for this too, maybe stiffer than the last given it’s a second offence.
Until next time! *ducks away from the tin foil brigade*
f1andrea
3rd November 2024, 13:40
Even if they gave red flag 10 seconds after the yellow flag he will be exclued from Q3: Leclerc passed on the finish line 3 seconds after yellow flag and demoted Verstappen to 11°. With 1 minute and 30 seconds would be very very difficoult for him to pass into Q2 would have been restarted. Stop crying Max, just unlucky this time
PlosslF1 (@f1-ploss)
3rd November 2024, 13:45
Fifteen cars, in the wet, all trying to do an out and hot lap in 1:30 was never going to happen anyway, there would of been more yellows if not red flag…
And wasnt Max down to P11 when Stroll crashed anyway?
SteveP
3rd November 2024, 14:14
Well, yes and no – Leclerc demoted him 2 seconds after the yellow flag for Stroll.
Max went through that sector at the time of the yellow flag, so his ability to set a better time was gone and a red flag then or any time thereafter was simply Max eliminated.
He should do what LH did in similar circumstances, sigh, shrug and move on “It is, what it is”
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd November 2024, 15:15
Good point as well, forgot about the possibility drivers, very time pressed, would make more mistakes, ruining other people’s laps, other than the fact there was too little margin for hardly anyone (if any) to do an out lap.
stjs16 (@stjs16)
3rd November 2024, 14:41
Just keep trashing the FIA and Stewards Max, see where that gets you!