December 8th 2024.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix started off with a bang as Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri collided in the opening stages of the race. Piastri couldn't help but take a dig at Verstappen after the incident, which occurred on the first corner of the first lap. Verstappen, who had just sealed his fourth Formula One championship title in Las Vegas, clipped the back of Piastri's McLaren, causing both cars to spin out of control.
The collision was certainly a moment of high drama and it resulted in Verstappen receiving a 10-second penalty. Meanwhile, Piastri's teammate, Lando Norris, took advantage of the chaos and secured pole position at the Yas Marina Circuit. Norris went on to dominate the race and claim victory, ultimately sealing the constructors' title for McLaren this season. Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc joined him on the podium, finishing in second and third place respectively.
Unfortunately, it was not a successful race for Lewis Hamilton, who had to settle for fourth place in his last ever race for Mercedes before his switch to Ferrari in 2025. Piastri, on the other hand, was less than impressed with Verstappen's move and sarcastically commented over the team radio, "Yep, move of a world champion, that one." When informed of Verstappen's penalty, the Australian simply replied, "Good."
Verstappen was not pleased with the severity of the punishment and could be heard saying he was "unlucky" before unleashing his anger on the stewards, calling them "stupid idiots." He even requested for a 20-second penalty, showing his frustration with the decision. This incident comes just days after Verstappen's heated confrontation with Mercedes driver George Russell, which had dominated the build-up to the race weekend.
In the previous race at the Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen had blocked Russell during qualifying, resulting in a one-place grid penalty for the Dutch driver. Despite this, Verstappen still managed to win the race, his ninth victory of the season. However, tensions between the two drivers were high as Russell accused Verstappen of threatening to "put my f***ing head in the wall."
Russell spoke out about the incident, stating that Verstappen had gone beyond the line and someone needed to stand up to him before things got out of control. He also revealed that Verstappen had been swearing at the stewards during their meeting, while Russell remained calm and explained the facts. He clarified that he was following his delta time, as all drivers are required to do, and was not trying to get Verstappen a penalty.
Russell also mentioned that he was in first position at the time, while Verstappen was not even in second position, and was simply preparing for his lap. He did not argue with the stewards and presented the facts as they were. As for Verstappen, he was still unhappy with the penalty and believed it was unfair. More updates on this incident will be provided.
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