Max Verstappen has moved closer to an automatic race ban after being penalised for his collision with Oscar Piastri.
The Red Bull driver collided with the McLaren immediately after the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen made a quick start from fourth on the grid and attempted to pass Piastri, who started second, at turn one.However the pair made contact at the exit of the corner and both spun. Piastri, who was ahead when they touched, immediately blamed his rival. “Move of a world champion, that one,” he remarked.
The stewards handed Verstappen a 10-second time penalty. “Good,” replied Piastri when race engineer Tom Stallard informed him.
Verstappen defended his move. “I was just super-unlucky,” he said on his radio. “I was all the way up the inside before the crash.”
In addition to his time penalty, the stewards also issued Verstappen two penalty points. He had six penalty points prior to the race, meaning he is now on a total of eighth, leaving him four shy of an automatic ban.
“Car one [Verstappen] attempted to overtake car 81 [Piastri] on the inside into turn one, but never got far enough alongside,” the stewards noted. “Both cars collided shortly after the apex.
“The stewards determine that the driver of car one was wholly at fault and caused the collision.”
This article will be updated
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Yes (@come-on-kubica)
8th December 2024, 14:14
It wouldn’t surprise me if he reached that but the FIA will come up with a weird way not to give him the 12th point.
Craig
8th December 2024, 15:05
I think the FIA are very reluctant to give any of the drivers that infamous 12th point, even when they eventually get Magnussen a race ban this year. Probably don’t want to be in a situation where a track limits breach is the thing that nets them a race ban (funny as that would be)
SPArtacus
8th December 2024, 15:28
They’ve been reluctant with everyone, but after Austin they’ve stopped being even slightly reluctant to penalize Max. I think they were afraid he and Jos were going to storm the stewards’ room.
Anyway, this was maybe the least egregious contact Max ever made. Piastri made the genius move of pinching Max at the apex. He had a whole car’s width or more on the outside when they hit each other. Not smart when you’re going for a WCC and only a disaster could cost you a title.
Jordi Casademunt (@casjo)
8th December 2024, 15:38
Not the smartest move when going for the WCC, but perhaps a smart move for the future, showing him that he won’t move out of the way just because Verstappen feels like throwing the car in. As you say, probably not the worst move Verstappen has done into turn 1 this season, but it’s the one where the outside driver held his line (a line that didn’t give a lot of room on the inside, but enough for a driver who wasn’t understeering) and there was contact.
Davethechicken
8th December 2024, 16:04
“Piastri { read Max} made the genius move of pinching Max {read Lewis} at the apex. He had a whole car’s width or more on the outside when they hit each other. Not smart”
Sound like Silverstone 21?
Troy Tomlin
8th December 2024, 18:38
Yeah, so genius it cost him 10 places
MacLeod (@macleod)
9th December 2024, 8:28
Problem in Silverstone Max had no car width when he turned into the corner so that is nonesense Max would then never made the corner. Lewis was the one losing his corner and oversteered into max. This was total different while Oscar could move more to the right but Max made a mistake here that Oscar couldn’t see him and didn’t expect him there…
Davethechicken
9th December 2024, 12:36
Not true. Max had plenty of car widths to his left. Furthermore Lewis was actually alongside on corner entry and understeered. Max saw Lewis and knew he was there, Piastri was well ahead as they entered the corner and Max in his own words made a mistake.
Max took 30% of the blame for Silverstone, Lewis 70% and Max was “wholly to blame” for the Piastri crash from the stewards.
Yet they both got 10sec penalties.
Surely Max should have had a more severe penalty than Lewis as he was “wholly to blame”.
Now who is going to cry that the stewards were biased towards Max?
PlosslF1 (@f1-ploss)
8th December 2024, 14:35
The last time I saw a dive bomb like that was by a Stuka on the History Channel….
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 15:27
@f1-ploss lol, true but Max does them all the time. He and Maldonado could have flown for the Luftwaffe. Maybe Max should called the Red Baron! :-)
Carsten Nielsen (@carstenb)
8th December 2024, 14:37
The risk for VER to get more points goes up if the RedBull 2025 car is weak.
Steve (@duuxdeluxe)
8th December 2024, 14:37
Meanwhile Piastri drives into the back of someone. What kind of driver is that a move from, ‘second violin never-will-be’?
BLS (@brightlampshade)
8th December 2024, 14:38
Wonder if they’ll give him a bonus penalty point for being snarky about the penalty on the radio :D
Carsten Nielsen (@carstenb)
8th December 2024, 14:55
That radio message was a perfect example of Verstappen’s personality. Every single time he is penalised he thinks it is unfair, when – in my mind – he has been penalised way too little during his career – getting away with “murder”.
Doh
8th December 2024, 17:35
Well he might get his wish as they’re first going to be changing some rules to prevent his bs and also starting to give out harder penalties which means his move will be less worth he risk. But he played a 200iq move by asking for a harder penalty that ultimately is going to come round
James
8th December 2024, 14:57
Russell was right
debaser91
8th December 2024, 15:04
Piastri needs to sort out his qualifying (20-4 deficit to Lando, Lewis has been rightly criticised all season for his poor qualifying but the Oscar has lost to Lando even more times) but he will not take Verstappen’s nonsense like Lando has at times this season. Max wasn’t even halfway alongside and then he has the audacity to complain to GP.
I really hope Lando reflects during the off season and realises if he’s serious about being WDC then his approach when racing wheel to wheel with Max needs to change. He has the speed, he can’t let Verstappen bully him.
Doh
8th December 2024, 17:37
Agreed. I have a feeling though that that’s what Norris was trying to do in Austria and it just so happened to cost him. Maybe he took that as a bad sign, but I feel doubling down would have been better.
RH
8th December 2024, 15:05
He’s gonna get a race ban.
That said, I am not even sure what drivers on the outside are expecting to do — just take the racing line and expect the car on the inside to disappear? Racing line doesn’t work when you are actually racing.
A bit of a weird penalty overall but blame on Verstappen for understeering after going onto the kerbs. Oscar could have moved away but he didn’t need to, hence the penalty.
GeordiePorker (@geordieporker)
8th December 2024, 19:47
In this comment, you’re assuming the person on the outside has to yield. In fact, the racing guidelines are an attempt (*) to create fair racing by ensuring the driver on the inside does not put themself in that position unless there’s a reasonable chance of an overtake
So, yes, the driver on the outside is expected to take the racing line and trust the driver on the inside to back out of an unrealistic move.
Max didn’t: he got a penalty.
(Just for fun…)
Silverstone 21 – Lewis didn’t: he got a penalty.
(*) We could probably spend all the time between now and the start of the next season arguing how well they achieve this. But who has the time?!?! My position is that at least the FIA is trying to create a reasonable mechanism to ensure racing is fair…now they need to keep tweaking until they get it right. Oh, and be consistent about penalties, but that’s another thread altogether.
RH
15th December 2024, 17:38
I am assuming that cars when alongside actually have to be able to race.
For what it’s worth, Verstappen was well alongside (He was by every definition, well alongside). Piastri’s onboard shows he leaves a big gap and then is staring at Sainz and not Verstappen.
It’s much more nuanced than the internet reactions.
Illusive (@illusive)
8th December 2024, 15:11
They will kill any racing in future and people will come back to this, Oscar was equally guilty of sleeping in turn 1.
Maxi Gaxi
8th December 2024, 15:16
As soon as Max doesnt have the fastest car by some margin he is back to crashing into others, complaining about rightful penalties and swearing on the radio. Such an overrated average driver with an awful attitude.
Papaya Rulez
8th December 2024, 15:18
Usual Verstappen style
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 15:23
Verstappen being Verstappen. He basically has two weapons: being exceptionally fast (most of the time) and intimidating opponents by crashing his way through (either when it matters critically or when it totally doesn’t matter, like today).
David BR (@david-br)
9th December 2024, 14:48
(A meta-issue: publication of this post was delayed because of some potential wording infringement, no idea which word. Is it possible to adapt the system so we can cancel such posts and re-word them until they get passed without the need for manual verification?)
kcrossle (@kcrossle)
8th December 2024, 15:23
For once “get out of my way or we’ll crash” didn’t work for him.
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 15:29
Verstappen being Verstappen. Crashing his way through seems to apply in three situations: when it matters critically too the WDC, when he’s frustrated or when it totally doesn’t matter, like today. So quite often then.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 16:12
Lol, it’s true – he probably did it just to see if he could ruin McLaren’s WDC chances. That’s why Sainz and Ferrari let him through like an Exocet missile to chase the 2 Papayas. Boom! One target down! One to go! I’m sure if he had managed to keep the position he would have taken Norris out too.
The missile that keeps on giving.
David (@nvherman)
8th December 2024, 16:38
Once again, you have typed WDC when you should’ve written WCC.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 16:53
@nvherman
It’s probably because the WCC was never mentioned over the past 20 years except in 2024. It somehow has become a much more important event this year than the WDC.
matt90
8th December 2024, 23:12
@freelittlebirds
The WCC is mentioned every year. Regardless, why wouldn’t you expect to hear a lot more about it than other years considering it’s McLaren’s first in 26 years, the first for any team other than Mercedes and Red Bull in 15 years, and a similar amount of time since a WCC went down to the wire when there wasn’t also a WDC to take attention away?
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
9th December 2024, 2:56
@matt90 well, the WDC usually overshadows the WCC. Imho, I think this might be the only year where the WCC may have mattered than the WDC. Obviously it went down to the wire and the 2 teams that were competing did not win the WDC and had not won it for a while despite have 16 and 8 apiece.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 15:26
Biggest joke of all time that Verstappen doesn’t have a race ban – he probably deserves as many race bans as wins :-)
w0o0dy
8th December 2024, 17:12
What were you saying again last time out? Exactly blind with hate. Better just shut up because no-one take you seriously.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 18:28
Sorry Woody, I reported you because like Verstappen you get away with murder.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
9th December 2024, 0:12
Reported!?
Awesome . How does that failed power trip feel?
Another little birdy or star spinning around in front of your eyes?
Still good to see the football hooligans come from the terraces to RF
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
8th December 2024, 15:42
I’m betting my life savings that once a driver like Verstappen or whoever it is that’s not a midfield driver “no one cares about”, they’ll change the penalty points system, like they did when they introduced it after a midfield driver took out a couple of championship contenders.
FIA only reacts when there’s “important people” on the line…
MichaelN
8th December 2024, 15:55
I doubt Piastri ‘made a point’. The move was late, and Piastri isn’t really known to squeeze other people off like that. Plus, his team stood to win the WCC. It’s not the time for heroics.
Seems more like Verstappen just had a ‘whatever, it makes no difference for me’ moment, and bungled a small-chance move.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 16:14
Ferrari and Sainz knew that Max was their greatest chance so they unleashed like an Exocet missile onto the McLarens :-)
Such a clever strategy to let him through so he can do what he does best.
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
8th December 2024, 16:41
What a joke of a penalty. Legit move and Piastri not paying attention, but hey, it’s Verstappen so give him a penalty. That Hulkenberg can crash 2 others out of the race in Qatar in the first corner is no problem. What a joke.
w0o0dy
8th December 2024, 17:13
Exactly, no other driver would have gotten 2 penalty points for that.
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 17:30
The move (attempted pass) was fine in theory, sure, but Piastri left room yet Verstappen couldn’t control the understeer, causing the collision. Which I guess is why he apologized to Piastri afterwards. Though in the race he was claiming it was Piastri’s fault and was sarcastic as usual about being penalized for effectively sending another driver to the back of the grid.
w0o0dy
8th December 2024, 17:43
Piastri didn’t leave room. He turned in like Max wasn’t there hitting the Apex. Please don’t twist facts.
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 19:18
Eh, OK, so the stewards and Verstappen himself are twisting the facts too when they blamed Verstappen?
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
8th December 2024, 19:20
Verstappen only apologized to be nice and he like Piastri. Piastri closes the door like no one was there. Verstappen was already more then half past Piastri before the apex. It was fully according the rules. Anyway, doesn’t make any difference in the end, but for me it’s weird that this was punished but the Hulkenberg move not, and that was more severe.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 18:28
@raynaud2211 that’s a joke right? such bad judgment. It’s a move that relies entirely on the other driver to succeed. You’re not overtaking the other person, you’re forcing them to do the work for the overtake.
He was two miles behind going into the corner. He didn’t own 0.00001% of the track.
It’s like Las Vegas last year where he was like 4 car lengths behind and decided to ram Russell.
Carl Parker (@mysticarl)
8th December 2024, 23:12
It was a divebomb, and it’s very clear that’s not allowed. Not along-side into braking zone, not level at apex, never could be considered the car ahead. Just Max being Max.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
8th December 2024, 16:49
Just tiring. Typical Max move, the dive bomb. Typical Max fan comments, every must move out of the way. Hamilton made the same move Max did at Silverstone and even though Max could have moved, Max and the Max fans wanted HAM banned from racing. As we saw today, it is a 10 second penalty. Race accordingly.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 18:33
@jimfromus Hamilton was side-by-side heading into the corner – Verstappen is usually 4-5 car lengths away when he does it. It’s an overtake that totally relies on the skill of the other driver to make it happen.
Maisch (@maisch)
8th December 2024, 17:07
What a immensely clumsy move..well deserved 10s penalty.
w0o0dy
8th December 2024, 17:15
Max himself said once he committed he saw the gap closing but could not find a way out… It’s a typical racing incident except when you are Verstappen. Then all of a sudden it’s a big deal.
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 17:32
It’s a big deal that he wrecked Piastri’s race. However the penalty is for causing a collision, which he entirely (100%) did. It’s a racing incident when it’s 50/50.
w0o0dy
8th December 2024, 17:41
Consequences are supposed to be irrelevant for the punishment. That’s what the FIA always claims. Except when it’s against Max.
Did Piastri get penalty points for running into the back of a Williams? Did Bottas get penalty points for punting off Perez quite similar to Max? .
Jordi Casademunt (@casjo)
8th December 2024, 18:13
Piastri got 2 penalty points, Bottas got 5 (2 for Pérez, 3 for Magnussen).
Stroll was given 2 penalty points for a similar incident at Qatar, Magnussen got 2 at Miami for a similar incident, Albon got 2 points for contact with Magnussen at Qatar.
I think the last 3 were front wheel to rear wheel contacts with the inside driver being behind and being left some room but not a lot. So very similar to Verstappen’s incident.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 18:35
@casjo you’re wasting your time – he believes Verstappen is crucified every time he gets in any accident even if Max is at fault and the other driver gets penalized.
David BR (@david-br)
8th December 2024, 19:20
w0o0dy, read more carefully and you’ll see I accepted the point that consequences shouldn’t be factored into the penalty (though they often are). Max was penalized for causing a collision.
Carsten Nielsen (@carstenb)
8th December 2024, 17:35
Maybe because it seems that Max can never find a way out – only a way in(to a situation where it is: Get out of the way or we crash)
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
8th December 2024, 18:32
A typical racing incident? Gee, I really want to win the race on Turn 1! Get out of my way please!!!
I was side-by-side with Norris when Piastri tried to overtake me on Turn 1 and rammed me.
Matthew Nowell (@diogenese)
8th December 2024, 23:30
I wonder how much Ferrari offered him ;)