November 3rd 2024.
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is just around the corner, and the tension on the track is already heating up. Max Verstappen, the current championship leader, was dealt a tough blow during qualifying. Despite his impressive skills and speed, the Dutch driver found himself starting from 17th place due to a red flag. This was not the first time Verstappen had issues with F1 stewards, and he was clearly unhappy with the outcome.
The qualifying session was initially scheduled for Saturday evening, but due to heavy rain, it was postponed to Sunday morning. The weather conditions in Brazil were still quite challenging, with the track being wet and slippery. As the session was coming to an end, Lance Stroll's Aston Martin spun out and hit the barriers. This caused a red flag to be waved, stopping the session and leaving several drivers with incomplete laps.
In the short time between Stroll's crash and the red flag, some drivers managed to complete their laps and knock Verstappen into the drop zone. Despite his best efforts, Verstappen was unable to finish his lap before the red flag was waved, leaving him in 12th place. To make matters worse, he was also facing a grid penalty due to an engine change, which meant he would start the race from 17th place.
Meanwhile, Verstappen's championship rival, Lando Norris, secured pole position and looked to close the 44-point gap between them. Stroll's crash triggered the pivotal red flag, and Verstappen couldn't hide his frustration. He was seen punching his steering wheel in anger and later expressed his feelings in an interview with Sky Sports.
In the interview, Verstappen criticized the delay in waving the red flag and the inconsistency in its application. He believed that if a car hits the wall and is unable to continue, the red flag should be waved immediately. He also pointed out that the delay in waving the red flag allowed other drivers to complete their laps, while those behind were unable to do so.
Verstappen's frustration only grew when there were two more red flags before qualifying ended. This time, the red flags were waved instantly, but only because the crashes were more severe, and the medical car had to be deployed. It was later revealed that Stroll's red flag was delayed as the stewards were waiting to see if he could continue driving. This delay ultimately cost Verstappen a spot in the final phase of qualifying, adding to his disappointment.
In a later interview with F1 TV, Verstappen expressed his disbelief and frustration at the delay in waving the red flag. He couldn't understand how the stewards could allow the session to continue for 30-40 seconds after a car had hit the wall and was clearly destroyed. He felt that this decision was unfair and questioned how it was even possible to let it go for so long.
Verstappen's anger and disappointment were palpable, and it was clear that he believed the outcome of qualifying could have been different if the red flag had been waved immediately. As the race approaches, all eyes will be on Verstappen as he looks to make a comeback and maintain his position as the championship leader.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
