Formula 1 has finally released the onboard footage from Max Verstappen’s RB16B during that contentious move against Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Verstappen appeared to have forced Hamilton wide as the Briton attacked into Turn 4 on Lap 47. Both drivers left the track as a result and Verstappen retained the lead of the race, before Hamilton eventually passed for the lead on Lap 59.
The incident was noted by the stewards, but they chose not to investigate it, which drew the ire of Mercedes.
It later emerged that the FIA didn’t have Verstappen’s crucial onboard footage when they made their decision and were therefore unable to determine whether the Dutchman, who now leads Hamilton by 14 points, deliberately forced his title rival wide.
F1 race director Michael Masi admitted after the race that the onboard footage could “potentially” provide a crucial piece of information but that “we didn’t have access to it.”
He added that “all the angles we don’t get live” will be obtained from Formula 1’s broadcast crew and “we’ll have a look at them [later].”
On Tuesday, two days after the incident, F1 finally released the onboard, front-facing footage from Verstappen’s car, which appeared to show the 24-year-old making an effort to make the corner.
Whilst that then supports the stewards decision not to take action, it has left some wondering why the matter wasn’t even investigated, given all the footage wasn’t available at the time.
The onboard video shows Verstappen is steering left the entire time, eventually applying full lock when it becomes clear he won’t make the corner.
Verstappen initially left the racing line to defend from Hamilton, meaning he approached Turn 4 at a more acute angle than normal and carried too much speed into the corner, and was therefore unable to maintain a line that would not have seen him run wide.
Hamilton is then seen taking avoiding action by steering right to avoid a collision.
Mercedes were reportedly considering an appeal against the decision prior to the release of this footage – in the hope the stewards would hand down a five-second time penalty, which would demote Verstappen to third, behind Valtteri Bottas.
Ryan, I think you need to look at it again
Agreed. Max makes very little effort to turn the car in the first part of the corner, a quarter turn at most. Then he makes more, but by that time he’s off the track. Very damning evidence, I would say.
To date .. the only site with different view ..
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Verstappen only turned sharp left when he had forced Lewis off the track
So – Max was going so fast into the corner he had severe understeer and could not make the corner while remaining on the track? And there was another car on his outside, well never mind, just take him with you!
Didn’t matter anyway since Lewis won the race.
Why is this even an issue? Hamilton literally almost killed Max a few months ago from purposely wrecking him and nothing was done, so why should anything be done about driving someone wide in a slow corner that is a mile away from a wall?
You mean when Verstappen had the inside line and Hamilton refused to give an inch of room and instead literally pushed him off the track and onto a kerb? Yeah, I remember that quite well.
Ham almost killed Max? Clown you either dead or alive not almost. I would say Max even that up and some by dropping his car on Ham’s head where the safety bar saved his life. Oh yeah you conveniently forgot about that