Telemetry data on another incident between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris

Max Verstappen obstructed Lando Norris in the pit lane at the Austrian GP, ​​as telemetry data and race control confirmed.

However, race control concluded that the Red Bull driver did not deserve a penalty for an unsafe release by the McLaren driver.

The fight ended in round 64, but it started long before

Max Verstappen was given the green light to drive off after his first pit stop on lap 24, while Lando Norris entered the pit lane at the same time to make the first of his two pit stops.

However, Red Bull’s mechanics went to the limit to give the OK and almost received a time penalty for doing so.

In fact, the race stewards investigated the action because of “alleged unsafe release of car 1 -Verstappen-“. And they could not rule out the possibility that Verstappen had actually “hindered” Norris. The onboard footage of the McLaren driver clearly shows that he had to brake slightly to avoid a collision with the Dutchman, as Norris told his team.

“He crashed right into me! I couldn’t turn into the pits properly,” he said over the radio to his race engineer.

This is also confirmed by the telemetry data we were able to obtain from Norris’ and Verstappen’s cars in the pit lane.

Normally, such an action would incur a 5-second penalty, but it was ultimately determined that no further action was required and Verstappen therefore avoided a penalty with a maneuver that could have jeopardized his race long before the sequence of dramatic events that led to Verstappen and Norris colliding on lap 64 and the McLaren driver retiring from the race as a result.

This was the justification given by the race director for the race in Austria, who did not see any violation of Article 34.14 a) of the FIA ​​Formula 1 sporting regulations. It states: “Vehicles must not be driven out of a garage or pit stop position if this could endanger the pit lane personnel or another driver.”

“Race control reviewed video footage and in-car evidence. Car 1 was released from its pit stop station as Car 4 approached. There is a possibility that Car 1 may have impeded Car 4 on its approach to the pit stop.

“However, Article 34.14(a) states that a car is deemed to be released unsafely if it could endanger pit lane personnel or another driver. This was not the case and therefore no further action will be taken.”

It was a tough race for the race directors, who had to impose a lot of penalties during the 71 laps of the Austrian GP. And this penalty-free race was one of the most controversial.

It’s hard to find a similar precedent where a driver who impedes another driver by allegedly unsafely releasing is not penalized for not behaving “unsafely” in pit lane, a place where, at such low speeds, drivers typically react quickly to avoid contact or damage to their car – as Norris did to avoid Max’s car.

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