McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is baffled by how Max Verstappen continually gets away with his controversial defensive driving style. The Italian made these comments after the race in Austin, where Verstappen and Norris went off the track during a British overtaking maneuver. According to Stella, this isn’t the first time the three-time world champion has defended in this manner.
Norris and Verstappen battled fiercely in the closing stages of the United States Grand Prix. For a moment, it seemed like the McLaren driver would come out on top when he overtook the Dutchman with a controversial move, but the stewards deemed Norris’s action as irregular. As a result, the Brit received a five-second time penalty, promoting Verstappen to third place. Unfairly so, according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.
The Italian believes that Verstappen’s defensive style was also not entirely within the rules. “If I were a journalist, I would look for statistics showing how often Max defends in this way,” Stella told the media present.
Stella even noticed how Verstappen made a similar move in the same race, in turn one of the opening lap. “We were somewhat irritated by the action in turn one, as Max not only gained the position, but it also cost Lando his exit and therefore more positions,” Stella explains. “However, we understood here that the stewards were applying the first lap rule, as you must also respect the pressure under which the stewards work.”
Brazil 2021
The Italian has already delved into the history books, citing the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix. Verstappen then pushed Lewis Hamilton off the track in lap 48, just as the Brit was attempting to overtake the Dutchman. “Then Verstappen missed the apex at very high speed,” Stella recalls. “If you turn into Max, you have a massive crash. This (clash with Norris in Austin) was at much lower speed, but it’s about the fact that you defend by going off the track. That cannot be allowed.”
