Reigning and triple world champion Max Verstappen had to briefly report to the stewards at 01:00 Dutch time. This was because he had allegedly driven the slow in the pit lane causing other drivers to be held up unnecessarily. In the end, the Dutchman was not penalised, which former Formula1 driver Jenson Button had already expected.

"No. If there is no clear rule, they will push it through," Button told Sky Sports referring to the minimum lap time to be driven. Button would like to see clearer regulations from the FIA. "They should say, 'you can't stop in the pit lane, you can't go slower than the speed limit.' It is what it is, onto the track and qualify'," the 43-year-old Briton continued.

Button lashes out at FIA

"It's insane that you can do that [wait in the pit lane giving you a better track position] and stop everyone behind you," explained the 2009 world champion. " When you stop, you have to pull to the right, you shouldn't be in the fast lane," he concluded.

The stewards' verdict was based on a tricky dichotomy that drivers have to deal with. On the one hand, Formula 1 drivers want to achieve the minimum lap time, but also have good track positions for ideal qualifying. Even before the Dutchman had been to the stewards, he told them himself that he would find a possible penalty nonsense.