Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global

Verstappen penalty call "the worst I've ever seen" - Lauda

Mercedes Formula 1 chairman Niki Lauda has labelled the call to penalise Max Verstappen in the United States Grand Prix as the worst decision he’s ever seen.

Niki Lauda, Mercedes AMG F1 Non-Executive Chairman

Niki Lauda, Mercedes AMG F1 Non-Executive Chairman

Sutton Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF70H, crosses the line ahead of Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB13, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF70H
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB13, celebrates as he crosses the line ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF70H
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB13
Niki Lauda, Mercedes AMG F1 Non-Executive Chairman and Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB13

Red Bull driver Verstappen was given a five-second penalty after passing the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen down the inside of COTA's Turn 17 on the last lap of the race.

This dropped him back from third to fourth, as he had been deemed to have gained an advantage by putting all four wheels off-track.

Reacting to the penalty, Lauda said: "This decision is the worst I’ve ever seen. He [Verstappen] did nothing wrong. We’re racing drivers, we’re not on a normal road.

"It’s ridiculous to destroy the sport with this kind of decision."

Lauda recalled that all parties had agreed in a meeting last year to allow drivers to race without unnecessary interference.

“We got the stewards in to tell us how fast stewards could go during a race,” he said. “Because it always says ‘under investigation'. So we complained about that.

"The stewards were in, [Jean] Todt asked everybody, Charlie [Whiting] was there, we were there, and there we agreed all together that unless it is dangerous, the stewards would not interfere.

“Very simple. If they drive over [each other] and go upside down, only then they [the stewards] will come in. It was the beginning of last year."

Lauda added that the Verstappen penalty meant the matter would have to be discussed again.

"Next strategy [group] meeting we need to bring it up to the agenda and start it all over again. Because we cannot do that, it’s going too far.

"There was nothing to interfere with, it was a normal overtaking.”

The three-time world champion insisted that F1 drivers should be allowed to use all the available road surface.

“Charlie argues all the time there’s white lines and you cannot drive over them. Why cannot you drive over white lines if it is possible? Build a wall there if you want.

"As long as there is normal circuit, you can use it. A white line is not a limit. We agreed this all, last year it was all agreed. And now we get this decision. I think it’s completely wrong.”

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Alonso "couldn't believe" failure after "sublime" performance
Next article Max Verstappen's F1 penalty hits a down note on a day of highs

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global