Max Verstappen said he pushed his starting position for the Australian Grand Prix to the limit, following questions over its legality.
The Red Bull driver positioned his car with its front wheels at the edge of the white line which marked his grid box at the final restart.
Verstappen’s start was legal as the International Sporting Code states cars must not stray beyond their starting position. Article 8.6.1.a notes: “For a standing start, [a car] must be stationary at its allocated grid box with no part of the contact patch of its front tyres outside of the lines (front and sides) at the time of the start signal.”
However following the penalties Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon incurred at the first two races of the season, Verstappen’s extreme positioning provoked many questions over its legality on social media.
The Red Bull driver revealed he moved slightly in his grid box after he originally pulled up in order to optimise his starting position.
“To be honest with you I think I braked a bit late and then I lost my reference a bit,” Verstappen explained. “But then I looked and I was like I still have a little bit more space. I actually moved a bit forwards and yeah, it was really on the limit.
“But on the limit is on the limit, it’s not over the limit.”
Verstappen had to make three standing starts during the course of yesterday’s race due to a series of red flags. He lost positions to both Mercedes drivers at his original start from pole position, but his final start was successful as he held Lewis Hamilton behind to secure victory in the race.
“The first one was not good,” said Verstappen. “Just didn’t really get well off the line. I think, actually it just got better and better, my starts. So at least that’s an improvement.”
While George Russell beat Verstappen off the line from second place at the start of the race, Lewis Hamilton admitted he was disappointed not to replicate his team mate’s successful getaway at the decisive final standing restart.
“Up alongside Max at the end, I really was hoping for a better start than I got,” said Hamilton. “We both got pretty much similar getaways and then he had a better second phase.”
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2023 Australian Grand Prix
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