Starting on the front row alongside Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Verstappen finished sixth after receiving two 10-second penalties for forcing title rival Lando Norris off track\u2014a result that trimmed his championship lead over Norris to 47 points with four races left.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When asked if he would have approached the race differently, Verstappen responded with humour: \u201cNext time I might get a drink while I wait in the pitstop. The engine was off for 20 seconds, so I had enough time,\" Verstappen was quoted by Formula 1 as saying.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, he quickly shifted focus to his car\u2019s performance, saying, \u201cThe biggest problem today was race pace. That was quite clear on the medium and hard tires.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Verstappen faced two penalties during the race, the first for the Turn Four clash with Norris and the second at Turn Seven. While the champion acknowledged the stewards\u2019 decision, he seemed resigned: \u201cThe turn four incident was more of a question mark, while the second...it is what it is.\u201d <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite his penalty-induced setbacks, he climbed back to sixth but found himself unable to challenge the Mercedes cars ahead due to grip issues and difficulty braking. \u201cI just had no grip\u2014sliding a lot and couldn\u2019t brake properly,\u201d Verstappen said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This weekend\u2019s penalties follow a similar dispute in Austin, where Verstappen and Norris also tangled, resulting in Norris receiving a penalty after gaining a position off-track but failing to give it back. Reflecting on the Austin incident, Verstappen noted, \u201cLast week that was alright; this week, a 20-second penalty. It\u2019s what it is. I just keep racing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was more vocal about the stewards\u2019 decisions, suggesting they overcompensated in response to last week\u2019s controversy in Austin. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re in danger of flipping the overtaking laws upside down, where drivers will just try to get their nose ahead at the apex and then claim they have to be given room on the exit,\u201d Horner said, calling for clarity on racing rules. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
He warned that without clearer guidelines, the final races of the season could devolve into a \"mess.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re in danger of flipping the overtaking laws upside down, where drivers will just try to get their nose ahead at the apex and then claim they have to be given room on the exit,\u201d Horner said, calling for clarity on racing rules. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
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