Max Verstappen has escaped punishment and will not receive a penalty from the stewards at the Austrian Grand Prix after it was ruled no further action would be taken against the Red Bull star. The Dutchman has been called into race control after reportedly impeding the Haas of Kevin Magnussen during the qualifying session for the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday and was summoned to the stewards to explain the incident.
Verstappen met with the stewards at 7pm UK time with a decision announced shortly afterwards after being accused of impeding Magnussen’s Haas during Q1, the first qualifying session of the weekend. But they have decided not to punish Verstappen with a grid penalty.
The championship leader topped all three qualifying sessions, meaning he would be set to first on the grid for the race on Sunday. However, the threat of a penalty would have put his pole position in jeopardy and with it, the chance to make it seven wins from nine races.
But the Dutchman has been granted a reprieve as the stewards released their judgement on Friday evening, explaining why the 25-year-old would be not be punished.
In a lengthy statement, the FIA stewards said: “The Stewards further determined that Car 20 [Magnussen] did not have to take significant evasive action.”
The incident took place with just under six minutes remaining in the Q1 session. After setting the quickest time of the session, Verstappen had just begun his second consecutive cool-down lap. As he rounded the first corner at a slower speed, the 25-year-old stayed on the racing line and kept on the kerb.
Behind him, Magnussen was starting another push up and Verstappen – seemingly unaware of the driver approaching him – was in his way. Magnussen was shown a white flag and was therefore aware a car ahead would be travelling at a reduced speed.
But when the Haas man caught him at the end of turn one, Magnussen was hampered by the Red Bull star.
Magnussen was apparently unhappy with the two-time world champion’s attempts to get out of the way and made his feelings clear on the team radio in a conversation with his engineer.
“Max Verstappen was completely in the way,” he said over team radio.
It remains to be seen whether Verstappen will be penalised for hampering Magnussen, given that he managed to improve his time from 14th to ninth.
But the issue has proved to be controversial in recent weeks after several drivers were handed penalties at the Canadian Grand Prix for similar obstructions.
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