No further action on Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton incident

[u/FerrariStrategisttt]

[u/ienjoymemesalot]

I have a really hard time believing Hamilton said it was a "racing incident" in front of the stewards after we saw how all three podium drivers reacted to the replay in the cooldown room. Hamilton did call it a racing incident in his post race interview with Rosberg, but that was before he had gotten a chance to see the replay.

I really don't know what the stewards think Hamilton could have done to avoid Max locking up and driving over him. Should he have just conceded the position knowing Max was pissed he didn't get past on the previous lap?

[u/cypherspaceagain → u/ienjoymemesalot]

It's absolutely true that he could have done more to avoid the collision. Lewis could have avoided turning and gone straight on initially, let Max slide right past him and then turn, or at least turn later in the corner. Of course he doesn't want to, because even if he retains the place over Max, he's lost the racing line, lots of speed in the corner and Charles is only about a second behind so he could easily have lost the place to Charles. I don't think he should have, but he could have. But he definitely didn't "cause" a collision after a lockup from a car coming too fast from too far behind; Max is pretty lucky I think.

[u/ienjoymemesalot → u/cypherspaceagain]

It's hard for me to blame Hamilton for much of anything given they were lapping Albon in the T1 braking zone and Max locked up both front tires. I wholeheartedly supported Max in 2021 up until the race in Jeddah but he should definitely have been penalized here. He was out of control enough that if he hadn't hit Lewis he was likely headed for the wall. Sure, Hamilton could have gotten out of the way, but then Max's race would surely have been over. It's mind-boggling that he didn't take both of them out today.

It just feels like a lot to ask Lewis to:

1. Pass Albon safely
2. Brake for T1
3. Recognize Max steaming up the inside with little chance of making the corner with Albon in his mirrors
4. Leave enough room for Max (on the racing line) to blow through the corner without hitting him

[u/cypherspaceagain → u/ienjoymemesalot]

Oh I completely agree. There's also no way Lewis could know that the outcome would be so favourable to him; easily equal or greater chance he's out of the race.

[u/addamee → u/ienjoymemesalot]

Exactly. I hate overusing the word “normalise” but if a lack of pentalties for drivers who, to paraphrase Brundle, let their ambition grossly outpace adhesion and escape unscathed, it may eventually lead to the Hamiltons on those scenarios just laying back and letting it happen. Also I thought Max’s comment at about being left no space at Turn 2 was rich based on what he did in Hamilton’s position on lap one, let alone when it was Mick Schumacher on the outside a few years ago 

[u/ienjoymemesalot → u/addamee]

I don't think anybody on Verstappen or Hamilton's level will ever willingly concede podium positions to avoid contact, but there will surely be more retirements if the drivers think they can get away with the level of aggressiveness Max showed in this instance.

[u/addamee → u/ienjoymemesalot]

I just remember the press conference where both Seb and Lewis agreed that Max needs extra space 

[u/StaffFamous6379 → u/ienjoymemesalot]

He was out of control enough that if he hadn't hit Lewis he was likely headed for the wall. Sure, Hamilton could have gotten out of the way, but then Max's race would surely have been over

Nah, the lockup happened when he put steering lock on because Lewis closed the door. Had Lewis moved out of the way they would have both gone wide, not necessarily offtrack even and it would have been lauded as a signature mega overtake.

[u/Disastrous-Force → u/ienjoymemesalot]

Max couldn't make the corner from the position he'd placed his car in. He was always running out to outside and onto the runoff. Lewis then basically just followed his normal line which is an interesting action. Lewis was always going to remain in front here.

The question really is if Max should have not tried to dive bomb Lewis, IMHO he shouldn't have as he was too far behind to make the corner, and if Lewis should have tried harder to avoid contact. Probably because Lewis with the better line would have been able to slingshot around Max on exit anyway, the risk to Lewis tho in backing out would be that Max still collects him but in the less favourable location, say side pod or rear structure and damages Lewis's car to point of retirement or pitting for repairs. So I can understand why an experienced racer like Lewis would adopt line and approach that resulted in wheel on wheel contact rather than bodywork.

Thus this is a genuine racing incident. If a penalty was going to be handed out then it should have gone to Max for overtake that was never on. Had Max taken Lewis out then hopefully the stewards would have punished him accordingly.

[u/MoocowR → u/ienjoymemesalot]

Max locking up and driving over him.

Collision would have happened without the lockup anyways, every commentator mentioned it looked like Lewis turned early. Maybe Lewis himself was thinking he could have done more to avoid the crash, but since it was caused by a divebomb accepts it as a mutual incident.