Red Bull Explains Why Max Verstappen Was Forced to Give Up Two Places in Spanish GP

Red Bull F1 team principal Laurent Mekies explains why it forced Max Verstappen to risk giving up two places in the Spanish GP.

It was a tense moment inside the Red Bull garage at the start of the F1 Spanish GP when Verstappen overtook Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton on Lap 1 but went off track to complete it. He retained the place and pushed to get through Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli in a bold move.

He built a good lead over the two when the radio saga kicked in. Verstappen's race engineer GP Lambiase requested him to give back the place to Hamilton. It was not one but two places that he would lose, which is why Verstappen insisted on retaining the place while defending himself.

Verstappen Defended Himself for Lap 1 Move

"Lewis almost shunted into me, he was out of control. If I didn't move, he just shunted into me. I would've been ahead," he said initially on radio, before adding: "Mate, what the f**k are you guys talking about? He would've shunted it.

"Like what are you guys talking about? If I just stay on the track, I am out of the race." But he eventually let through both Antonelli and Hamilton by the end of La Monumental. In doing so, he lost about 5s in giving up the place to the Brit due to Hamilton's own brake issues.

While re-passing Hamilton, he continued on the radio: "He can give me the position now, f**king bullsh*t. F**king mickey-mouse racing this is." Even though Hamilton eventually retired, it was crucial for Verstappen to give up the places. The moment he gave them up, the FIA cleared him of any investigation.

Red Bull Had Long-Term Race in Mind

Red Bull F1 team principal Mekies explained the push to give back the places. They didn't want him to risk that 10s time penalty that could have affected his Grand Prix had there been a Safety Car or even a red flag. They didn't want to play with a time penalty, thinking long-term.

"We would have simply been penalised either five seconds or ten seconds at their discretion," Mekies told F1 TV. "So that's what would have happened. And of course, if you can imagine race scenarios with a Safety Car or other circumstances, it can cost you a lot more than a position or two."

"Luckily Max gave away the position before Lewis retired and ultimately continued to fight the race from that point. Of course it is frustrating but, in fairness, I think P2 was the absolute best we could have achieved today," summed up Mekies.

Verstappen, meanwhile, was a bit more relaxed by the end of the race in his view. He reiterated that he would have crashed if not for the pass. "If I would have stayed there, I would have definitely had contact," he said. "So, then my race could have potentially been over in Turn 2, and that's why I think, where we are now, I'm happy to be."