Inside the Decision: How Max Verstappen’s “Clever” Tactics Avoided Further Penalties at the Austrian GP, Explains F1 Steward Johnny Herbert

F1 official Johnny Herbert elaborates on the rationale behind Max Verstappen's penalty decision at the Austrian GP

Johnny Herbert, an official at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, sheds light on the thought process that led to the decision on Max Verstappen's penalty, highlighting the driver's “smart” maneuvers to avoid additional sanctions.

Former Formula 1 racer Johnny Herbert, who served as a steward during the Austrian Grand Prix, clarified the reasons behind Max Verstappen receiving just a 10-second penalty.

Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for crashing into Lando Norris as they approached Turn 3 on the 64th lap of the race.

The clash led to both drivers suffering punctures, paving the way for George Russell to secure an unexpected win.

Replay video captured Verstappen making a slight leftward move while braking, just as Norris was trying to pull up next to him.

In a conversation with Coin Poker, Herbert, who served as an official for the FIA over the weekend, detailed the reasons behind Verstappen's 10-second penalty.

"He described it as the most severe measure available within the framework of the FIA rules to which they adhere as officials. McLaren argued for a stricter penalty, but this is a common strategy among all the teams."

"Had there been a situation where a driver overturned or spun out along the course, it's uncertain whether the outcome would have been different. The issue was categorized under actions such as pushing a driver off the track or triggering a collision."

"That was the strictest penalty we could have imposed."

Norris expressed dissatisfaction with Verstappen's defensive maneuvers before the subsequent collision occurred.

Herbert characterized Verstappen's strategies as "smart" and then went on to explain the reasons the officials did not impose additional penalties.

"An admirable trait about Max is his ability to adapt; despite his disagreement, he'll creatively repurpose his arsenal," he continued. "As overseers, when we examined his technique during braking, the situation was ambiguous."

"It was a smart and fair maneuver, which slightly increased the challenge for Lando in deciding to go left or right into a specific turn.

"He will adapt in some manner and discover an alternative method, yet continue to apply the same level of intensity to his adversary."

Herbert stood up for Norris, praising him for not succumbing to Verstappen's pressure, a strategy also used by other F1 legends like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.

"Max is to blame. He competes fiercely," he stated. "He presents a significant challenge to overcome. His ability to intimidate his opponents is a strategy that Lewis, Michael Schumacher, and Ayrton Senna have also successfully employed.

When Lando encounters Max in his current aggressive driving form, there comes a moment where Lando must assert himself, making it clear to Max: "I'm right beside you. You're attempting to push me out of the track, but I refuse to back down."

"Lando made the correct decision. He remained stationary. There was no need for him to move. Despite some opinions suggesting he could have, moving isn't the strategy to outperform Max or to clinch victory at the Grand Prix.

This aspect of Max has always been a key component of his arsenal.

"It's been some time since we've witnessed this, given his consistent dominance. Observing his response to the stress is fascinating. He was not in concord with the penalty that was imposed on him, which additionally resulted in two points being added to his license."

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