Why Verstappen feels Hamilton’s F1 penalty was not ‘severe’ enough

The debate over the 10-second time penalty issued to Hamilton continues to dominate the headlines in the build-up to this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, with Red Bull and Mercedes summoned to see the stewards on Thursday afternoon after Red Bull lodged a right to review the incident.

Red Bull has relentlessly insisted that Hamilton’s penalty was far too lenient after the seven-time world champion was still able to win the Silverstone race, while Verstappen was taken out in a 51G impact it claims cost £1.3million.

Ahead of Thursday’s hearing in Budapest, Verstappen explained why he remains adamant in his view that Hamilton should have faced a harsher punishment for the clash.

“I don’t think the penalty was correct because basically, you take out your main rival, and especially with the speed we have with our cars, we are miles ahead of the third-best team,” Verstappen explained.

“We are easily 40-50 seconds ahead in normal conditions, so a 10-second penalty doesn’t do anything. So definitely that penalty should have been more severe.”

In their investigation, the stewards ruled Hamilton was ‘predominately’ responsible for the collision but not ‘wholly’ to blame.

Verstappen admitted he was “a bit surprised” to learn the stewards did not deem Hamilton to be entirely at fault, insisting there was nothing more he could have done to avoid contact.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong there,” he said. “We were racing hard, that corner is very fast, so I don’t know how I have a percentage in that fault.

“He goes for that move, he commits for that move. Of course, I’m going to make it difficult for him to make the move but as soon as he commits to the inside or gets alongside me I open up the corner and then I’m going to leave him space.

“Did he expect me to just completely run off the track then and keep my position? As then they will tell you you can’t run off the track. So yeah, from my side a bit surprised there is a bit of percentage in there.”

And Verstappen pointed to Hamilton’s clean race-winning overtake on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as “a great example that it is possible not to touch”.

"Of course at the time he knew he had the faster car so was just a mater of time to pass,” he added.

“So it does show it is possible to go up the inside but then back out more, slow down a bit more and not hit the other driver.

“Because I think at the middle of the corner I was opening up a bit more than Charles did even, so it’s a great example within the same race that it is possible to fight into that corner.”

The FIA explained after the British GP that the consequences of an incident are not taken into consideration when determining what penalty should be issued, a principle that has been in place for a number of years.

Asked what he wants to see from the stewards in future incidents, Verstappen replied: "Common sense. I think that’s it.”