Schumacher backs Verstappen: 'In my eyes a racing incident'

Max Verstappen has to start the next race at the Russian GP three places behind his qualifying position. The stewards in Monza handed out a three-place grid penalty to the Dutchman. A penalty that Ralf Schumacher does not agree with.

Penalty for Verstappen not justified

In his column on Skysport.de Schumacher indicates to back Verstappen regarding the discussion about the penalty that followed the incident between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton.

The former driver starts: "I think the grid penalty of three places for Verstappen is not fair. Both drivers were racing hard and Verstappen tried to go around Lewis, but there was no room because Hamilton didn't give him any."

Hamilton knew what was at stake

Schumacher continued, stressing that Hamilton made an important trade-off: "Lewis didn't give up because he didn't want to lose that position. He knew that by doing so he would have lost even more points compared to Max. Then there was a bang; in my view a racing incident!"

Although Schumacher seems to imply that there were tactical considerations on Hamilton's part to give Verstappen minimal space, the German still believes it was a racing incident; there was no one to blame. The penalty Verstappen received is therefore not justified according to Schumacher.