Max Verstappen said he no longer understands how penalties are apportioned in Formula 1 after receiving a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Verstappen attempted to pass Piastri on the inside of the first corner, but clipped the rear of the McLaren, causing both cars to spin.
When the four-time champion was informed about his penalty by his team over the pit-to-car radio, he responded: “Can we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots.”
Despite the apparent insult toward the race stewards, Verstappen was not investigated further by the FIA.
Speaking after the race, Verstappen said he would apologise to Piastri for the collision but felt the 10-second penalty was inconsistent with previous incidents.
“I don’t understand anything anymore but it’s fine,” he said.
“Whatever. I’m not going to get angry about stuff like that. It’s not worth my time and I’ll just have a break.
“The most important thing is that I apologise to Oscar. That’s it.”
Verstappen said he tried to bail out of the overtaking move when he realised Piastri had not seen him and joked that he thought any number of penalties might be handed out after they collided.
“The thing was that I think when you’re in that position you’re focusing on the car ahead and you commit,” he said. “You never really — I mean that’s how I feel it as well when you start first or second — you never really look behind.
“So I went for it and then I realised he doesn’t see me there so I was like trying to get out of it but then we still clipped and of course that is on me but I was expecting maybe 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I don’t know, stop and go. There’s maybe something to talk about for next time.”
When Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was asked about Verstappen using the word “idiots” over team radio in response to the penalty, he defended his driver’s use of language.
“I mean, circumstances change, but drivers don’t, and sometimes I do feel that it’s very unfair,” Horner said.
“And we hear all drivers rant and rave, you know, we hear team principals rant and rave occasionally as well, that it is a little unfair sometimes.”
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