Turkish Grand Prix: No Penalty for Verstappen
Max Verstappen saved the day despite not winning at this Turkish Grand Prix. The Dutchman maintains his sixth position by escaping a penalty from the stewards for his pit exit violation.
Many predicted him for the win, but it was not to be. This Sunday, Max Verstappen seemed to rise above the difficult conditions at Istanbul Park.
After a start where he remained stuck on the grid, the Dutchman was held up for a long time behind the driver of the day, Sebastian Vettel. Passing him in the pit stop strategy, he returns to the Racing Point duo leading the race, with Lance Stroll ahead of Sergio Pérez.
The Red Bull driver gets closer in the exhausts of his competitor but makes a big mistake by spinning just before turn 11. The driver comes into the pits, but it is upon exiting them at the first stop that the stewards noted an incident.
In fact, as stipulated by the regulations, the driver must not cross or cut the pit lane line when entering or exiting. However, Red Bull number 33 seemed on the verge of a fault on the cameras.
However, after reviewing the footage, the stewards decided not to penalize the driver.
The conclusion is as follows:
« After reviewing video evidence from a wide variety of cameras and the highest available viewpoints, the commissioners are unable to find conclusive evidence demonstrating beyond reasonable doubt that any part of car 33 completely crossed over the white line separating the pit lane exit from the track. »
Verstappen, by maintaining his sixth place, remains third in the drivers’ championship with 170 points. With three races remaining in the season, the Dutchman can still aim for the honorary position of vice-world champion, with only 27 points separating him from Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.
