Whiting: Verstappen comments expected in heat of battle

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting feels Max Verstappen’s comments about the race stewards at Monza were to be expected in the heat of his battle with Valtteri Bottas, but will discuss the matter at the next drivers’ briefing in Singapore.

Red Bull driver Verstappen hit out at the stewards after receiving a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas during a scrap for third place at Monza last Sunday, saying they were “killing racing.”

Speaking after the race at Monza, Whiting said that while he “deliberately didn’t” listen to Verstappen’s comments, only learning of them second-hand, he did not wish to dwell on the matter too much.

“I don’t think you can take too much notice of comments made in the heat of battle. I’m sure at the next drivers’ briefing we’ll talk about that,” Whiting said.

"In the heat of battle, I think that’s absolutely expected.”

Verstappen claimed after the race he had been given the time penalty - which dropped him from third on-track to fifth in the final classification - as he had already used up one of his ‘jokers’ for cutting the chicane at Turn 1.

However, Whiting explained after the race that the two incidents were unconnected.

“[They’re] unconnected. The joker is for cutting the chicane, not actually gaining a place but staying in front, which is an advantage of sorts,” Whiting said.

“We told the teams that we’d normally give the driver one free one, unless of course let’s say he cut the chicane the first time and gained five seconds and kept it.

“This one he just stayed in front of Bottas, and could in theory do that every lap, and say he didn’t gain a position but stayed in front.”