Verstappen gets a penalty: "It can change championships"

The stewards have handed Max Verstappen a three-place penalty because they feel he is to blame for the crash with Lewis Hamilton during the Italian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver will have to take his penalty at the Russian Grand Prix in two weeks time. 

Verstappen will have to take an engine penalty at some point in the season, and the Sochi track has been earmarked as one of the venues where this is likely to happen. With a three-place penalty already happening, it might be the circuit where Red Bull decides to take this. 

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Hamilton and Verstappen are fighting for the title. In a conversation with Sky Sports, says such a decision can change the course of the championship. 

"It can change Championships. they can put you in a difficult part. They can overtake in Sochi, but when you look at the Championship he has a nice five-point lead but winning and coming second is a seven-point difference," Di Resta said. 

"I still stand, it was a racing incident. Listen, at the same time the stewards have the evidence and you can't go against that. It's livened things up and Max will carry this into Russia." 

"I understand it, I think we've got to stop these things going on. A Racing incident, it would've made this worse down the line. We want to see these guys wheel to wheel and that's what we'll see," Johnny Herbert added who has been a steward at previous races.