Max Verstappen was given a three place grid penalty for the Russia race after his crash with Lewis Hamilton last weekend. Opinions are divided, but Kees van de Grint is clearly in the camp that believes that no penalty should have been given.
In the new F1 podcast Slipstream van de Grint says he thinks last weekend's crash was a racing incident.
"If we have to describe the crash, I think it's a racing incident. What you can expect, what we predicted months ago. These two didn't give anything then. Max could have used the escape road, Hamilton could have left a bit more space. Neither wanted to. Each had their reason for that too."
Penalty Verstappen not justified
Because, says van de Grint, it is a racing incident. And there should be no penalty. For any driver whatsoever.
"To then say afterwards: Max gets that penalty, and Hamilton is a little bit guilty and doesn't get it. I don't want Hamilton to get a penalty. This is just a race incident, and done. Next race we'll be back at it in full force and these two will fight it out again. But this is biased. And then I wonder: isn't there a certain bias with certain stewards?"
In any case, the penalty itself will not change anymore, which means Verstappen will go a few spots backwards next weekend anyway. The question is whether it will remain at three spots, or whether the Dutchman will take his penalty for changing his engine in Russia.