“Is Stroll blind” – Max Verstappen fumed on the team radio after a collision with Lance Stroll, but both drivers escaped punishment from the stewards.
Racing Point’s Lance Stroll collided with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in Turn 1 during the FP2 of the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao. Stroll’s car went spinning into the gravel, also causing a red flag in the process. This let out an angry reaction from Verstappen on team radio, including some expletives:
Verstappen: “Is this f****** guy blind? What the f*** is wrong with him? Jesus Christ. What a r*****. I have damage. What a mongol. I swear.”
Engineer: “OK box. Red flags and recharge on, please.”
Verstappen: “He f*** his lap, I’m trying to prepare my lap, and he just f**** my lap by just opening DRS and staying on the normal line. No respect. But yeah, doesn’t matter.”
Verstappen not sorry about the choice of words; escapes punishment
Verstappen was asked if he regretted using expletives aimed at Stroll on the team radio. The Dutch youngster, in trademark style, replied “not my problem”. He also called the incident unnecessary, one which could have been easily avoided.
“He just turned in while I was coming up to him. I don’t know where I had to go. I was starting my lap, and he just finished his lap. It’s FP2 and it’s just a shame that we touch. It was very unnecessary.”
“Could he have backed out of it? There’s always a discussion that could go on forever, but it’s just silly.”
Both the drivers were called by the stewards for an investigation after the session, but after careful examination and testimonials from both sides, the stewards decided to exonerate them. They released an official statement confirming that it was a case “of a misunderstanding”.
“The drivers agreed in the hearing that the incident was the result of a misunderstanding between them and that with hindsight, both could have contributed to avoid the incident”
