Verstappen explains own action: 'That's why I went and had a look'

Max Verstappen was fined by the race committee during the Brazilian Grand Prix for touching Lewis Hamilton's rear wing after qualifying. The Dutchman finds the penalty incomprehensible, he said in the FIA press conference.

Red Bull Racing suspected that there was something wrong with Hamilton's rear wing. Verstappen decided to have a look after qualifying to see if Mercedes were at fault, and that cost him dearly, because the fine of 50,000 euros was considerable.

"There had been talks," Verstappen admitted. "Of course there are things to still look into because, as I said, at a certain speed it seems like the wing is flexing and of course we had, at the beginning of the season, we had to all change the rear wings a bit because of the back-off but it seems like something is still backing off over there so that’s why I went and had a look."

Hamilton also faces penalty

Race control also ruled that Hamilton was indeed at fault. The British driver was disqualified and had to start from the back of the grid in the sprint race. In the end he managed to finish in fifth place, which means he will start from tenth on Sunday evening.