Max Verstappen AVOIDS grid penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix with stewards taking no further action against Red Bull star after investigating him for overtaking under red flags during Friday practice
- Max Verstappen overtook Lance Stroll during Friday’s second practice session
- His Red Bull team though argued he had little chance to react to the red flag
- Team boss Christian Horner believed Verstappen did all he could to react
Max Verstappen’s has avoided a potential grid penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix after he was cleared of overtaking under red flags following a stewards’ investigation.
The incident occurred during free practice on Friday, with the Dutchman summoned to the stewards at Zandvoort on Saturday morning.
The incident took place in the afternoon session where he overtook Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll between turns 10 and 11.
Max Verstappen is under investigation for overtaking under red flags in Friday practice
The Dutchman will likely argue he had little time to react to the red flags in his Red Bull car
Verstappen was on a flying lap, with the Canadian on a cool down lap. He was looking to pass Stroll on the left when a light panel indicating the red flag flashed up.
The Red Bull star will likely argue that while he completed the overtake under the red flag, he had little chance to react to it given how close he was to Stroll and their differing speeds. There is also a noticeable lift from the accelerator after he sees the light too.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner admitted on Friday that he was aware of the incident but claimed his driver did everything he could to react to it.
Verstappen was on a flying lap while the car he overtook in Lance Stroll’s (above) Aston Martin was on a cool down lap during second practice at Zandvoort
‘Max, as soon as he heard it was a red flag, he backed right out of it,’ Horner told Sky F1.
‘I was watching the data, he was completely out of it as soon as he got the message of the red flag.’
A grid penalty at his home race would hand his chief title rival Lewis Hamilton a huge boost in the championship fight as he bids to land pole position at the Red Bull star’s home grand prix.
Hamilton currently leads the championship by three points from the Dutchman.