The opening rounds of the Mexico City GP raised many questions about the penalty policy of the FIA stewards. Several drivers made detours off the track, potentially gaining an advantage over the cars on the asphalt. In the end, only Lewis Hamilton was effectively penalized for this, with a ten-second penalty. Martin Brundle and Jacques Villeneuve discuss whether, for example, Max Verstappen should also have been penalized.
In the opening phase of the race, four cars dived into the first corner together. As a result, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen were forced to cut off the second corner. Leclerc took the lead, but immediately handed it over to Lando Norris. George Russell was the victim of all the chaos; he was pushed back to the sixth spot. Afterwards, he complained in the media room, where he spoke of a ‘lawnmower race’ full of ‘free passes’ for Verstappen.
Neither Leclerc nor Verstappen received a penalty for the opening round, while Hamilton later did receive a penalty for a similar offense. According to former champion Jacques Villeneuve, only the Monegasque had unjustly retained his place. “Verstappen was already ahead of Russell and besides, he gave back all the places – so that was fine,” said the Canadian in a broadcast of Sky Sports. “Leclerc should have been reprimanded, because in the first corner he was effectively overtaken by Hamilton. He probably thought: ‘Oh, it’s just my teammate, nothing will happen to me.'”
The ‘Hopeless Corner’
Martin Brundle agreed, although he believed that George Russell also deserved a penalty. “He positioned his car on the left kerbstone, but never intended to make the corner,” the Brit judged. “You see him accelerating to then – albeit very skillfully – drive onto the grass. Verstappen made no effort to make corner one, two, or three – he should be penalized for that.” Villeneuve partially agreed: “It’s hard to incorporate intent into the rules. According to the rules, he did nothing wrong because he was already ahead of Russell.”
Since the return of the GP of Mexico to the calendar in 2015, the opening corners have often been a topic of discussion. “The problem is that corner,” said Villeneuve. “If there’s gravel or a wall there, you can’t drive four abreast. Two is the maximum, because you know there’s no escape route. Now everyone thinks: ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter. If I just brake too late, I’ll still get ahead. It’s worth a try.'” Brundle added: “The layout at the first corner is simply hopeless. You need that zone, but perhaps there should be a maximum speed limit or something similar. If driving off the track is penalized as heavily as in Monaco, they won’t do it anymore. It’s as simple as that.”
