Max Verstappen, #33, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-Honda, RB15 (left), Charles Leclerc, #16, Scuderia Ferrari, SF90 (right). Formula 1 Gran Premio De Mexico 2019, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Image credit to LAT Sutton Images.
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen has been stripped of his Mexican Grand Prix pole position for failing to slow for the single waved yellow flag during the final stage of qualifying and received a three-grid place demotion from the stewards.
Max Verstappen, #33, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-Honda, RB15 (left), Charles Leclerc, #16, Scuderia Ferrari, SF90 (right). Formula 1 Gran Premio De Mexico 2019, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Image credit to LAT Sutton Images.
Verstappen was running behind Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas when the latter crashed heavily at the final corner as the Dutchman passed one yellow flag en route to improving his initial effort to secure his 2nd career pole.
However after the session, the race stewards brought the Red Bull driver and a team representative into the stewards room and after they “reviewed video, audio and telemetry evidences which clearly showed that the driver attempted to set a meaningful lap time and failed to reduce his speed in the relevant marshalling sector” they would be imposing “a drop of three grid positions at the driver’s next race [Mexico] and two penalty points”.
Expanding on the verdict, the stewards also pointed out “the driver of Car 33 admitted that he was aware that car 77 (Valtteri Bottas) crashed and did see the car on the left hand side of the track, but was not aware of the waved yellow flag. He also admitted not reducing his speed on the yellow sector. The Stewards noted from the on board images of Car 33, that the waved yellow flag was clearly visible and was shown with enough notice. The previous driver (Car 5) reduced the speed significantly as per the regulations.”
Following the penalty decision, Verstappen stated: “It is very disappointing to be handed a grid penalty for the race and Ferrari will be very quick tomorrow so tyre life will be important but we have a really good race car so it should be a close fight.”
Verstappen will now start in fourth place on the grid with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc promoted to pole position with team-mate Sebastian Vettel alongside him and current championship leader Lewis Hamilton starting third.
Formula 1 Gran Premio De Mexico 2019 Revised Starting Grid
