'Verstappen cleverly exploits grey area in regulations'

We have seen it several times now, Max Verstappen driving almost entirely next to the car of the driver in front of him at the restart after a safety car. Also in Saudi Arabia he did this to Charles Leclerc. According to Jolyon Palmer the Dutchman cleverly uses a gray area in the regulations.

Verstappen has interesting tactics

In the Post Race Show of Formula 1, the restart at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix is discussed, and in particular the way Verstappen put his car next to Leclerc's. Pietro Fittipaldi, test and reserve driver at Haas, wonders if this is actually allowed.

Jolyon Palmer, also a guest on the broadcast, says that Verstappen is making particularly clever use of a gray area in the regulations. It's just not allowed to overtake another car, but it's a gray area because this way you do get in the way of the driver in front of you. "It's an interesting tactic from Verstappen."

Verstappen applies tactic more often

As mentioned, this is not the first time we have seen Verstappen do this. The Dutchman also did this during the first race in Bahrain and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year. "It's a tactic he's been using for a while, it's kind of routine almost," Palmer said. "In Saudi Arabia, he started to drive next to Charles on the way to the last corner, so the Ferrari driver can't cut the corner properly."

In Jeddah, the world champion did this by sitting on the outside, in Abu Dhabi he tried to do it on the inside with Lewis Hamilton instead. "He even caught up with Lewis briefly and that was still being investigated by the stewards. Then he was on the racing line, so Hamilton could not really cut the corner." In any case, it provides the Dutchman with several advantages. He can lose fewer meters and has a better view of the driver in front of him.