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Formula One F1 – Brazilian Grand Prix – Jose Carlos Pace Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil – November 12, 2021 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is interviewed after finishing second in qualifying REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
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Formula One F1 – Brazilian Grand Prix – Jose Carlos Pace Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil – November 12, 2021 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is interviewed after finishing second in qualifying REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
Since the very start of this season, the FIA have often found themselves under an immense level of scrutiny from the title-contending teams regarding both their on-track and off-track decisions. The latest demands have arrived from the end of Max Verstappen.
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The concept of engine penalties has triggered Verstappen, who opined that the FIA must review the rules and alter them accordingly to prevent other teams from exploiting the ‘illogical’ loopholes. Let us give you an insight into how the engine penalty works.
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Formula One F1 – Mexico Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 6, 2021 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during practice REUTERS/Andres Stapff
If and when a driver opts for a 4th power unit in a season, they’d have to pay for it by starting from the back of the grid (Verstappen used this in Sochi).
Similarly, for engine components, if and when a driver exceeds the limit, the first time has the driver endure a 10-place grid penalty. And for every following new element, the grid drop will be pushed down to 5 places. One of the teams that gained a massive advantage from this rule is Mercedes.
Mercedes orchestrated a perfect plan to limit their damages by changing Hamilton’s ICE in Turkey which witnessed him only suffer a 10-place grid penalty. Later in Brazil, the punishment came down to 5 places, which ultimately helped Hamilton secure the race victory.
What did Max Verstappen say?
As reported by Planet F1, Verstappen demanded that the FIA review the rules that surround the engine and other component changes.
“The first time it’s 10 places back and after that it’s five, and I find that a bit illogical. If you keep taking engine penalties, I think it should just stay the same because you’re going over the same limit all the time,” Verstappen said.
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Formula One F1 – Brazilian Grand Prix – Jose Carlos Pace Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil – November 14, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the race alongside second placed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
“Yes, that’s something that could be looked at, because in Brazil, you clearly saw that the rest of the teams didn’t have a chance to do anything against us. So a penalty like that is not really that big of a deal,” he said.
The 5-place grid penalty for Hamilton did play a crucial role in handing him a race victory at Interlagos and further intensifying the title fight.
And here we stand; Verstappen with a much older engine having to fight against Hamilton with a fairly new ICE at the back. So, what do you think of the Dutchman’s comments? Do they sound fair enough?
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