On the 4th of October, the Formula One World Championship returned to the Nürburgring in Germany for the first time since 2013. It was an exciting race, but the biggest talking point was the incident involving Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen.
Verstappen was caught up in a collision with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll on lap 18, sending both cars spinning off the track. While Stroll’s car ended up in the gravel trap, Verstappen was able to continue and ultimately finished the race in second place.
However, there was controversy surrounding the incident because there were yellow flags being waved at the time of the collision. Yellow flags indicate that there is a potential danger on the track, and drivers are required to slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary.
Many fans and commentators were surprised that Verstappen was not investigated by the stewards for his role in the incident, particularly as he had been penalized earlier in the season for a similar incident involving Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas.
So, why did Verstappen escape an investigation this time around?
The main reason is that Verstappen slowed down significantly when he saw the yellow flags, as he later explained in an interview with Sky Sports. He said: “I backed out of it because of the yellow flags, and the moment I backed out of it, he lost the car and crashed into me.”
Verstappen’s team boss, Christian Horner, also backed up this version of events, saying: “Max clearly slowed down, he was aware that there was a yellow flag, and he acted accordingly. The stewards reviewed it and took no further action.”
It’s worth noting that the stewards did review the incident, as they do with all incidents during a race. They looked at the available data, including video footage, telemetry and radio transmissions, and determined that Verstappen had slowed down sufficiently under the yellow flags.
In addition, there were other factors that influenced the stewards’ decision. For example, Verstappen was not deemed to be at fault for the collision, as Stroll was judged to have lost control of his car.
Furthermore, the stewards took into account the fact that Verstappen had already been penalized earlier in the season, and may have been more cautious as a result.
Overall, it’s clear that the stewards made the right decision in this case. Verstappen did slow down under the yellow flags, and there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to the incident.
It’s also worth remembering that the stewards have a difficult job to do. They must make split-second decisions based on a range of factors, and they do not have the luxury of hindsight or multiple camera angles.
So, while some fans may have been disappointed that Verstappen escaped an investigation, it’s important to trust in the stewards’ judgement and appreciate the complexity of their role.