In a dramatic showdown between the Red Bull pilot and his McLaren rival, both competitors gave it their all, pushing the limits until they eventually collided. As a result, the Dutchman had to make a pit stop for repairs and finished in fifth place, while the disappointed Brit suffered a Did Not Finish (DNF) due to the damage sustained.
As expected, the incident caused a stir on social media, with many sensible analysts agreeing that what we witnessed that day was the return of the old Verstappen, rather than the mature three-time Formula 1 world champion we believed him to be. Naturally, in the current era of heightened tribalism in sports, the Orange Army saw no fault in Verstappen’s actions.
The final decision-makers in this situation were the Race Stewards appointed by the FIA, Felix Holter, Matthew Selley, Wilhelm Singer, and Herbert, who were positioned in the race control area at the Red Bull Ring.
Former Formula 1 driver turned commentator Herbert shared his perspective with Colin Poker, stating, “Max was at fault. He is an aggressive driver who is incredibly difficult to beat. He intimidates everyone, just like Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Ayrton Senna always did.”
“When you face Max the way he was driving that day, there comes a point where, if you’re Lando, you need to take a stand and say, ‘I’m here. I’m alongside you. You’re trying to force me off the track, and I’m not going to back down’.”
“Lando did the right thing. He held his ground and didn’t need to yield. Some people argued that he could have moved, but that’s not how you defeat Max or win the Grand Prix.”
Herbert continued: “We haven’t seen this in a while because he has been so dominant. It’s intriguing to observe how he responds to pressure. He disagreed with the penalty imposed on him, which also resulted in two points on his license.
“I have confidence that he will reflect and, once he has the opportunity to analyze the footage, he will realize that he should not find himself in this situation again, as it could jeopardize his chances of winning the World Championship this year.
“It’s beneficial that he is experiencing pressure for the first time in a long time. Lando and McLaren have been gradually progressing, and now we are starting to see these small weaknesses emerge. Max had to revert to his aggressive nature, which sometimes goes too far and gets him into trouble.
“It’s intentional, which is why I use the term intimidation, because he pushes the boundaries without crossing the line. However, this has always been part of his story.
“I appreciate the competition because I believe it is a vital aspect of racing. However, sometimes I don’t like it when it reaches a point where he is really forcing another car off the track. That’s not what racing is about. It’s about positioning the car. He positions the car very well, but he tends to put everyone else in a position that goes beyond the unwritten code between drivers. That’s what we witnessed in Austria.
“That is the most severe penalty that can be applied according to the FIA guidelines that we adhere to as stewards. McLaren stated that it should have been harsher, but that’s the game all teams play.
“If someone had flipped over or was rolling on the track, I’m not sure if that would have changed the outcome. Forcing a driver off the track or causing an incident is what falls under that. That was the most severe punishment we could impose.”
“And it was Max’s responsibility. The intriguing aspect is that we were about to penalize Lando at that moment because he had exceeded the track limits four times, and we issued a five-second penalty as soon as the contact occurred.
“We were addressing this issue when the collision happened, and I looked up to see the tire off. The positive thing about someone like Max is that, even if he may not agree with it, he will find a way to use his tactics differently.
“As officials, we examined his braking technique, and it was not evident. It was clever and simply made it harder for Lando to decide whether to veer left or right in a specific turn.
“He will adapt somehow and figure out another method to apply the same pressure to whoever his opponent may be. Max now understands that he cannot exert that pressure on Lando and expect him to simply yield, that Lando will fight back. Up until Austria, Max always came out victorious. Now he isn’t.
“It will be interesting to see how Lando responds. He will now be in a better position after what happened. He realized that he has a chance to outplay Max at his own game. That will be captivating to witness.”
“It all comes down to consistency. We must adhere to the FIA regulations, which state that if one car makes contact with another car, it results in a ten-second penalty, period. That is the necessary uniformity.
“Trying to argue that it was more extreme does not hold up. It was an intense race, and one driver made a minor mistake by squeezing the other. That led to the collision.
“There is no variable scale of penalties, as this would create a bigger problem and be more subjective. If we try to analyze an incident, it only causes more problems and leads to more inconsistencies, leaving everyone dissatisfied. Verstappen will believe he did nothing wrong.”
“Speaking as a Formula 1 fan, on a personal note, Herbert added: ‘Will this change his mindset? Probably not. It won’t change the way he approaches races. No driver before, like Michael Schumacher, ever changed their approach.”
“And I don’t want him to change. I find it truly exciting. It’s only when he reaches this point that he can only blame himself. It was crystal clear to everyone, but he wouldn’t change his way of acting. Max didn’t go to the stewards’ room. We made the decision, and that’s the end of it,” Herbert concluded.
The Dutch driver was the fastest in the first practice session, the sprint qualifying, the sprint race, and an impressive lap around the Red Bull Ring. He was four tenths of a second faster than the nearest competitor in a 65-second lap!
The same story unfolded in the race. Verstappen established an eight-second advantage. He made a final pit stop, only for the previously flawless Red Bull Racing team to make a mistake and cost about seven seconds. As a result, car #1 emerged from the pit lane just ahead of a determined Norris.
What caused the difference? Verstappen was using old Medium Pirelli tires, while Norris had new tires.
On lap 64, Max 2.0 gave way to Max 1.0, and the rest is history. This intense rivalry is exactly what the Formula 1 community has been longing for since the unforgettable 2021 Formula 1 World Championship season.
© 2024
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