Verstappen "preferred" time penalty to letting Hamilton past
Max Verstappen says he would have preferred a penalty for overtaking Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton off-track at the Bahrain Grand Prix's climax, rather than handing back the lead
After reeling in leader Hamilton on fresher tyres during an absorbing duel, Verstappen used the DRS with four laps to go to attack the Briton into Turn 4.
Verstappen managed to pass Hamilton around the outside but went off the track at the exit, an area which the FIA stewards started policing halfway through the race.
Verstappen quickly let Hamilton past again on the following straight but was then unable to commit to another attack on the final three laps.
A radio exchange between Verstappen and team boss Christian Horner revealed the Dutchman was reluctant to hand the lead back to Hamilton, preferring to stay ahead and take a potential five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off the circuit.
"Why didn't you let me go? I could have easily got the five seconds. I prefer to lose like that than to be second like this," Verstappen fumed on the radio, thinking he would be able to gap Hamilton in clear air.
Horner replied explaining the team immediately received word from race control that Verstappen would have to cede the lead.
After the finish Verstappen admitted it was a "shame" to lose his first encounter with Hamilton of the 2021 F1 season, but also thought it was great to be able to challenge Mercedes from the start of the season, something Red Bull has not managed in previous years.
"It's of course a shame but you also have to see the positive," Verstappen said. "We're really putting the fight on to them and I think that's great to start the year like that."
After ceding the lead back to Hamilton, Verstappen was unable to threaten the world champion again on the final few laps, finishing seven tenths in arrears.
Verstappen appeared to struggle getting up to speed coming out of slower corners, an issue that intermittently plagued the Dutchman from the very beginning.
"I don't know what happened there, I don't think that was completely solved the whole race in the low-speed corners," he added.
"We'll have a look at that, but overall we managed to finish the race of course, and score good points."
Share Or Save This Story
Andrea Stella: F1 must avoid Sepang repeat, but "accept occasional glitches"
Honda HRC to get new boss with Koji Watanabe set for retirement
As Mercedes looks to deal F1 2026 knockout blow, will its driver fight reignite?
How the Bahrain GP in Malaysia exposed Red Bull’s hidden resurgence
Ferrari’s Vigna on Vasseur and fake news: “There is only one reality”
Lewis Hamilton labels Sepang qualifying as "best lap" of his 2026 F1 season
Andrea Stella: F1 must avoid Sepang repeat, but "accept occasional glitches"
Bubba Wallace "paid the price on our front tires" in battle for Vegas win
How Elfyn Evans made WRC history in Hollywood blockbuster Sardinia decider
Winners & Losers from MotoGP's Japanese Grand Prix
How F1 let a golden opportunity slip at Sepang
How the Bahrain GP in Malaysia exposed Red Bull’s hidden resurgence
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments