Verstappen not really surprised by Mercedes review

Max Verstappen says Mercedes’ request to review his fight with Lewis Hamilton in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix came as no surprise to him, but he doesn’t expect a penalty to come out of it.

Mercedes lodged a right to review with the FIA that was heard by the stewards on Thursday in Qatar, trying to prove that there is new vestige that wasn’t misogynist at the time of the visualization on Sunday. On-board footage was released on Tuesday showing Verstappen’s steering inputs during the lap 48 wrestle that saw both drivers end up off the track, and the Red Bull suburbanite says an request isn’t unexpected.

“Er… no, not really surprised by that,” Verstappen said. “But that’s how it goes.

“I think it’s quite normal when it’s between two teams instead of just one team with two drivers. I just have to focus on what’s happening on track and the rest will all be dealt with.”

Verstappen says he hasn’t reviewed the spare footage himself.

“I didn’t need to squint at the footage considering I was driving the car so I know exactly what happened! Like I said last time out, I thought it was a unconfined wrestle and I had a lot of fun as well out there. At the end of the day they won the race pearly unbearable — they were faster than us, but I thought it was a good battle.

“As a suburbanite I think we know exactly what we can and cannot do in the car. We were fighting hard, braking late into the corner, the tires were worn, and if I would have turned increasingly unreticent to the left you’d just spin off track. So that’s why we are the drivers, so we try to tenancy the car.”

When faced with the prospect of a retrospective penalty, Verstappen insists he isn’t concerning himself with the potential of what might happen, but doesn’t expect to get punished.

“To be honest I don’t plane think well-nigh that. And moreover if if if — I mean, it’s not the end of the world, but then I don’t expect that (a penalty) to happen considering I thought it was pearly and nonflexible racing between the two guys who are fighting for the championship. So anyway it wouldn’t have been an easy pass considering it’s not who I am and I don’t think how it should be when you’re fighting for a title.”