Austrian GP 2024 – “The problem is that if you don't deal with these things honestly, they will come back. They are back today because they were not dealt with properly in the past when there were clashes with Lewis who should have been punished more harshly”. This is the opinion of Andrea Stella, team principal from the McLaren, after the maneuver of which he became the protagonist Max Verstappen which, in fact, ruined the race Lando Norris also obtaining those points that allow him to move up in the rankings.
Adding insult to injury for McLaren will probably be penalized in the British GP because Norris was unable to serve the pending sentence for a retirement of which he was the victim and not the instigator. Mocking derivatives of a regulation that does not allow exceptions.
![Verstappen Austria](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/au-1-jpg.webp)
Is there a Verstappen problem in Formula One? No, a champion like this can never be considered a flaw that needs to be repaired, but certainly now certain issues are coming home to roost. The FIA commissioners have often produced vague, inconsistent and anti-jurisprudential decisions. Max, especially in 2021, was often able to exceed the limits, perhaps obtaining less than he deserved in terms of fines.
This made the ferocious driving style of a driver who in the meantime had become a cannibal even more edgy. The 2022 and 2023 championships were characterized by a clear dominance of Red Bull which, in fact, prevented the Dutchman from often finding himself in hand-to-hand duels. The Verstappen file was therefore frozen, blocked by events.
Today the situation has changed. Red Bull no longer has a sidereal advantage and, under pressure, can make mistakes. Exactly what happened in the second pit stop of the Austrian GP. This put Norris back into the game who, after losing too many fights against the Hasselt driver, decided to be aggressive while remaining within the limits of the rules. Max, for his part, let out the racing animal within him and responded with a maneuver outside the box and sporting norms.
Formula One, in that "indicted" 2021, allowed certain seeds to germinate which turned into poisonous plants that today sting those who suffer the Dutchman's moves. The premier class of motorsports it must not postulate exemplary punishments, it must finally be able to draw a coherent line by making it clear to all the competitors, from the leader Verstappen to the bringing up the rear Zhou, that certain actions always correspond to the same reactions. Which are called clear judgments that are not established based on the name and weight of the team.
![Spanish GP 2024 F1 arrival order:](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Max-7-jpg.webp)
Speaking of the team, Max tends to increase his sporting anger also by virtue of an environment that always protects him, even when he should be beaten like today. In his post-race statements Max took it out on Red Bull for the mistake in the pit stop which effectively started the chain of events. It's true that a champion is a perfectionist, but sometimes a little public recognition wouldn't hurt.
Again, in the radio team where the engineer Lambiase communicated the penalty, the Dutchman complained and received support and not blame. Perhaps a tactical silence would have been better so as not to give the perception that the three-time world champion is always allowed to exceed the bar.
In short, even Red Bull should keep the sporting wrath of their phenomenon low. Also because the FIA - and the Austrian GP proves it - seems to have reversed its decision-making course. And this, combined with the RB20's performance no longer sensationally overwhelming, could have the effect of a boomerang. Pointless aggression, in the long run, risks generating more problems than benefits.
Crediti foto: F1TV, Oracle Red Bull Racing