16/09/2023
NEWS STORY
Max Verstappen gets a reprimand for impeding Yuki Tsunoda as stewards opt to take no further action over his alleged impeding of Logan Sargeant.
Just prior to Tsunoda passing the Dutchman between Turns 3 and 4, the world champion moved to the left, however quite late.
His team admitted that there was poor communication on its part and that it did not advise Verstappen until Tsunoda was alongside.
The stewards reviewed a number of impeding and alleged impeding incidents from the current season and consistent with previous decisions in relation to the severity of the breach, imposed a penalty of a reprimand on Verstappen - his second of the season - and a €5,000 fine on his team.
It was also noted that the representative of Tsunoda chose not to attend the hearing.
In terms of the incident involving Logan Sargeant, Verstappen said that he was surrounded by many other cars on preparation laps, some of which chose to overtake him on the left and some on the right, and therefore he decided the safest option was for him to drive straight and keep the line, leaving a car width on his right.
The Dutchman told the stewards that he felt any movement to the left or right could have caused a collision with one of the cars around him - a claim that the stewards accepted.
Sargeant stated that he did not believe that Verstappen was at fault and that there was room for him to pass, consequently the stewards felt that the Red Bull driver did not unnecessarily impede the American.
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