Brazil – Ocon/Verstappen Clash: Reactions and Sanctions

The recap of the facts:

At the end of his 40th lap, Esteban Ocon returns to his pit to switch to Super soft tires. He rejoins ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, a lap down, who had already previously stopped to put on Soft tires, then lets him pass under blue flags.

The Force India driver is faster than the Dutchman and loses time behind the Red Bull, to the point that his team instructs him to overtake. Ocon doesn’t hesitate and attempts an overtake at the start of the 44th lap, on the outside of the first corner.

Unfortunately, the maneuver does not go well, and Max Verstappen, not understanding the insistence of the Force India driver to overtake him, moves towards the inside line at the exit of the Senna S, unable to avoid the collision. Both men come to a stop, and Lewis Hamilton takes advantage to slip into the lead and secure the victory.

Esteban Ocon, deemed guilty in this maneuver by the race stewards, received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty during the race, which is the heaviest sanction before disqualification.

Lap 44, Max is leading the race, then this… #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 (Sound 🔊) pic.twitter.com/FhMgkehVtG

— Formula 1 (@F1) 11 novembre 2018

Max Verstappen’s reaction:

Mad with rage under his helmet after this collision, Max Verstappen initially called Esteban Ocon an idiot before showing his displeasure with the help of the middle finger of his right hand as he got back on track.

After the arrival, the Dutchman warned his team over the radio that he shouldn’t cross paths with the Frenchman in the Parc Ferme at the risk of it ending badly. This didn’t stop the Red Bull driver from going to find Ocon, who was being weighed, to explain his point of view and shove him several times provocatively under the uninterested gaze of Brendon Hartley and Valtteri Bottas.

There was contact on the track, and a bit off it too 😡 #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/OajZ1UM4lL

— Formula 1 (@F1) 11 novembre 2018

After this incident, Verstappen explained the situation and his behavior: “I don’t have much to say about this incident except that he behaved like a little girl. Getting off the track like that, to get a stupid response from his side as well, I wasn’t happy about that. I was just trying to race, and all of a sudden a backmarker came to take a stupid risk diving inside. What can I say about that? The penalty is for me today because I lost the victory. Hopefully, in 15 years, we can laugh about it…” he stated with a closed face before adding ironically: “Of course, afterward, you can easily say ‘Max, you should have given him space and bla bla bla.’ But that’s not how it is. We are racing, and you don’t expect a backmarker to take you out.”

Esteban Ocon’s reaction:

Faced with journalists, the French driver did not want to acknowledge any mistake on his part in the maneuver, arguing that other drivers had already given him enough space in the same corner to overtake: “The rules say you are allowed to un-lap yourself if you are faster. That’s what I did. I had a very good pace, I went on the outside. It’s the same move I made on Fernando, the same I’ve done on many other drivers. But what surprises me the most is Max’s behavior after the race. The FIA had to intervene to stop him from being violent, from pushing me and wanting to hit me. It’s not professional. I’m used to battles with Max. He’s always been the same. This goes back a few years,” defended the Frenchman, who posted several photos on his Twitter account to illustrate his remarks.

I respect the FIA’s decision but just to be clear, if you are faster you are allowed to unlap yourself. I overtook 7 times into turn 2 this race it was always tight, but always fair… #EO31 #brazilgp #swipe⬅️ pic.twitter.com/UrmujIj09Q

— Esteban Ocon (@OconEsteban) 11 novembre 2018

Sanctions:

The Force India driver was nevertheless found guilty in this accident as he was penalized with a Stop and Go during the race by the stewards.

As explained by Charlie Whiting, the FIA Race Director: « We obviously expect it to be done cautiously. More specifically, it should be done cleanly and absolutely without fighting. There should be no struggle to overtake. It’s just a bit unfortunate that he [Ocon] decided to fight for it, which is totally unacceptable. »

Max Verstappen, meanwhile, was also sanctioned by the FIA for his behavior towards Esteban Ocon after the finish. He will thus have to perform two days of public service, as explained by the governing body in a statement: « While showing leniency for Verstappen’s passionate nature, the stewards felt that he had the obligation to act appropriately as a high-level athlete and role model for other drivers, at all levels, and that Verstappen had failed in this regard. Therefore, the stewards ordered Max Verstappen to participate in two public days under the guidance of the FIA within six months of the incident. »