If the battle for the world title between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton really is as exciting as it seems now, then every point at the end of the season could be decisive. The extra point for the fastest lap is not something to be taken lightly. However, Verstappen decided not to try and take it away from Hamilton in the closing stages of the Imola GP.
Verstappen and Marko agree
Verstappen did have a shot at this initially. Towards the end of the race he drove a 1:17.5. Until then by far the fastest time, but already in the next lap Lewis Hamilton went under it with a 1:16.7. That time was unachievable for Verstappen and there was a good reason for that.
"Hamilton had an advantage of four tenths on his fastest lap due to DRS," Helmut Marko explained to Redbull.com. "We didn't want to risk anything after that and preferred to celebrate a sovereign victory." With that, Marko joins the explanation Verstappen himself already gave after the race.
Hamilton got DRS thanks to his overtaking of Lando Norris. Verstappen won't have known that, but the team will no doubt have informed him about it. Marko does think details like this are going to be important this season. "The title fight is a duel of equals. It will definitely be an exciting season," said the Austrian.