Photo: RacePictures.

Mexico GP: Stewards were right to penalise Hamilton and not Verstappen

20:33, 28 Oct

byNorberto Mujica

The decisions made by the FIA Stewards during the Mexico City Grand Prix may have prompted doubts for some. GPblog explains why the race officials' decisions to penalise Lewis Hamilton and not Max Verstappen were right.

At the start of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Max Verstappen looked set to replicate the daring double overtake he performed on Hamilton and then Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, going around the outside of both, triggering the Finn driver's spin on the exit of Turn 1.

However, with Charles Leclerc, Hamilton and Lando Norris on the inside as the cars went four-wide into Turn 1 there was very little space for Verstappen not only to complete the move, but to keep the car on the track.

This was made imposible after he and Leclerc banged wheels right before the turning phase of the corner which unsettled Verstappen's car and pushed the Dutch driver over the kerbs.

With the resulting loss of grip, Verstappen's chances of effectively making the corner were effectively null.

Max Verstappen goes off onto the grass at Turn 1. Photo: RacePictures.

The reigning F1 champion, though, did a stellar job to successfully to reduce his speed and complete a bouncy passage through the grass on the outside of Turn 1, rejoinin the track in P2 behind Leclerc who cut Turn 2 as well and briefly took the lead ahead of Norris.

Both Verstappen and Leclerc then relinquished the advantages they had unlawfully gained by returning the positions to Norris and Hamilton respectively, thus protecting themselves from potential penalties.

On lap 6, Verstappen went for a move up the inside of Hamilton, crucially putting his car ahead at the apex. Despite the wheel-banging going on, the Dutch driver managed to keep his car on track, albeit marginally so, while Hamilton was forced wide.

At Turn 2, with Hamilton on the inside this time, it was Verstappen who would be pushed out wide thus forced to cut Turn 3, with the Dutch driver's manoeuvre into Turn 1 being the point where he effectively made up the place on Hamilton.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton fight for P3 in Mexico. Photo: RacePictures.

The seven-time world champion then came back on Verstappen at Turn 4. However, Hamilton was carrying too much speed going into the corner, triggering a big smokey lock up and what would then be a determining understeer, setting him on an outward trajectory.

Hamilton took the run off, rejoined the track ahead of Verstappen cutting Turns 4, 5 and 6 and failed to give back the place he had gained against the regulations.

The British driver also failed to follow the Race Director's instructions to safely rejoin the track in that section of the circuit, further amplifying the potential penality incurred.

Lewis Hamilton was handed a 10 second time penalty in Mexico GP. Photo: RacePictures.

And so the Stewards dished out what was widely perceived to be a harsh 10 second penalty that negated his chances to achieve his first podium with Ferrari.

Speaking after the race, Verstappen reacted to the Stewards' decision making process, saying it was "not my problem," stating that despite the chaotic nature of the wheel-to-wheel battles had been very complicated to navigate through, but that he ultimately felt he'd done nothing wrong.

On his side Hamilton labeled the penalty he received as "pretty nuts," as he believed other drivers had also gained an advantage by leaving the track at Turn 1.

However, Stewards are known to be lenient to Turn 1 transgressions, understanding the unpredictability of having 20 cars barreling down at over 300kph into the funnel that the first corner can become.

Hamilton pushed for penalties for Verstappen and Leclerc

Radio conversations between Hamilton and race engineer Ricardo Adami were uncovered, where the seven-time world champion pushed for Ferrari to take the corner-cutting incidents at the start, and Verstappen pushing him out wide at Turn 1 to the FIA Stewards in a bid to get Leclerc and Verstappen penalised.

After the race, Hamilton was quick to label the Stewards' decision to hand him a 10-second time penalty "pretty nuts."

Don't miss GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.