Max Verstappen’s ‘Fiendish Defending’ Sparks Controversy After Collision with Lando Norris at Austrian GP

Max Verstappen has been criticized for "devious defending" during a collision with Lando Norris in Austria.

Max Verstappen faces allegations of "aggressive defending" following his disputed crash with Lando Norris at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix.

During an intense competition for the win in Austria on Lap 64 of 71 at the Red Bull Ring, the close friends and competitors clashed, resulting in damage to both cars that ruined their chances of victory.

Norris had to withdraw from the race, whereas Verstappen managed to make it back to the pits and ultimately secured a fifth-place finish, allowing him to further widen his lead in the championship standings.

During an appearance on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Damon Hill discussed the event that he feels "denied us an amazing finish to the race."

"The suspense increased wonderfully, and I believe we missed out on an amazing ending to the race," stated the 1996 F1 world champion.

"We'll never be certain about what might have happened. From my perspective, Lando seemed to have the speed, which is why Max had to engage in what I can only describe as some pretty ruthless defending. I apologize for the term."

"Max is known for fiercely defending his position and not easily conceding the lead. So, if you're aware of this trait, you must approach him with significant caution."

"We have established guidelines for racing conduct. The issue now is whether he violated those guidelines or if Lando was overly assertive in defending his position on the track."

"There seemed to be a moment where he placed his car on the outside and had the option to move onto the curb. Instead, he chose to hold his ground, thinking the other driver should not alter his path and should provide enough space. This led to the collision."

"It was somewhat unavoidable and had been building up over several laps."

Max Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for causing the crash, but Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft expressed doubts about whether this penalty was adequate.

"I'm not sure if a 10-second penalty was sufficient," he remarked. "Considering the regulations the stewards follow, I can see why they decided on that 10-second penalty."

Ultimately, it had minimal impact on his outcome when he pitted to switch tyres. Unfortunately, Lando was at a disadvantage and ended up retiring from the race after serving a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

"I won't be the one to demand a grid penalty for Max in the upcoming race, but I question whether a 10-second penalty was sufficient, given that his maneuver caused one driver to retire and ruined his own chances of winning."

Hill commented: "Honestly, I'm not sure what the specific regulations are regarding penalties. It could be that the most they can enforce is a 10-second penalty."

"Moreover, I believe the FIA, which oversees the race and its operations, should have the authority to impose a penalty if they deem an action to be unsportsmanlike or indicative of poor driving and wish to address and prevent such behavior."

"This is a critical issue. Andrea Stella and Martin Brundle highlighted it during the race commentary. Brundle mentioned that if it's not addressed immediately, it will recur."

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