Jenson Button argues “problem with the regulations” as Max Verstappen scrutinised

2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button believes there’s a “problem with the regulations” after Max Verstappen's controversial incident with Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix.

With four laps to go, Verstappen looked set to lose P3 to Norris, who looked to overtake him around the outside of Turn 12.

However, Verstappen braked later in the corner, meaning both drivers went off the track.

Norris came out of the corner ahead before pulling away.

The sequence was quickly investigated by the stewards, with Norris picking up a five-second time penalty for ‘gaining an advantage when off the track’.

The decision outraged McLaren as Andrea Stella questioned the stewards’ interference, while some critics felt that Verstappen had escaped punishment for his robust Lap 1 move and then defending against Norris.

After the race, former McLaren driver Button questioned Verstappen’s tactic of outbraking himself deliberately just to have his “nose in front” at the apex of the corner.

Crucially, this allows the defending driver - Verstappen in case - to own the corner.

“The only thing I find very difficult is yes he’s in front at the apex but he’s in front of the apex because he’s out-braked himself,” Button said to Anthony Davidson during the latter’s analysis segment.

“He knows he needs to have his nose in front when he gets to the apex. So he’s done that.”

Davidson replied: “He’s done that because he knows he’s likely to be overtaken on the outside. The same thing happened in Brazil 2021 with Hamilton.

“He knows you’re going to go so far off the track, I am going to have to go off the track, out of the field play as well. We know how it works.”

Button concluded: “This is a problem with the regulations. If he knows if he has to have his front nose in front at the apex, he just lifts off and just lets his car into the corner. He’s in front but he doesn’t make the corner.”