Max Verstappen issues snappy response after making Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fume | F1 | Sport
Max Verstappen left Lewis Hamilton and George Russell furious on the opening lap of the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, after cutting across the grass to rejoin the track on the exit of Turn Three. When asked about rivals demanding a time penalty for his spot of lawnmowing, he replied: “Not my problem.”
Verstappen had attempted to make it four wide around the outside at Turn One on the opening lap, but with Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton all to his inside, he ran out of room and locked up his tyres. To avoid losing significant positions, he scampered over the grass and rejoined the track before handing a spot back to Ferrari’s British racer.
Russell was fifth at the time and believed that Verstappen should have given him a place or picked up a penalty, as, without going off the circuit, the Dutchman would not have been able to stay in front of the Mercedes star.
“I don’t understand how three drivers can cut the first corner and just continue in the position they entered,” Russell told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “It’s like allowing you to risk everything, and you just have a get-out-of-jail-free card if you get it wrong.”
Russell also offered a fix to the FIA to avoid similar controversies in future. “Ultimately, it’s down to the circuit, and there is this get-out-of-jail-free card,” he continued. “If there was gravel, then nobody would be there.
“We’ve seen it almost every year we’ve been here. It was Carlos last year and Charles the year before, or Lewis 10 years ago. It’s like a lawnmower race. Something needs to change there. That’s not really how it should be.”
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Hamilton picked up a penalty of his own after failing to take the escape road at Turn Four. The 40-year-old served 10 seconds in his pit box during his first stop, ending his hopes of scoring his first podium of the season and setting him on course to finish eighth.
“It felt like racing,” said Hamilton, looking back at his battle with Verstappen. “I was fine there. It was just the cutting. Then I’m the only one to get a 10-second penalty. It was kind of nuts.”
For Verstappen, the points gained were crucial. He finished third, right behind Leclerc, under virtual safety car conditions, meaning he left the race weekend closer to P1 in the standings than he came in. The gap to Norris in first now stands at 36 points with four Grands Prix and two sprints remaining.
