Max Verstappen (24) retains the world title for 2021 and on Sunday he won the qualification for Mexico. The Mercedes boss thinks Red Bull has received too lenient punishment.
Red Bull has exceeded the budget ceiling for 2021 by NOK 22 million. Friday came the verdict of the FIA: A fine of NOK 72 million and ten percent less time in the wind tunnel for 2023. But Verstappen and Red Bull keep their WC points. This means the Dutchman keeps the toilet gold.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says so Autosport that the penalty will still be “too small” for Mercedes and “too hard” for Red Bull.
– I absolutely think 72 million is a lot of money. But it might not be that big for Red Bull considering the investments they are making on the engine side.
– I think that the sum of the penalties is a deterrent, at least the sporting penalty, and to a lesser extent the financial penalty.
– But the reputational damage is the worst and no team will want to come close to that, because of course we live in a transparent world.
The head of Mercedes Formula 1 says that “our shareholders and partners are demanding that we respect the budget ceiling”.
World champion Max Verstappen – wearing a gold helmet – secured the best starting position. It is actually only the sixth time this season, while he has already won 13 races before Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
– Verstappen is an impressive sport. One would hardly believe it was possible, says Viaplay expert Stein Pettersen live.
Lewis Hamilton (37) was the best in Q2, but he didn’t last in the end. He finished third in qualifying, with George Russell ahead of him. So two Mercedes drivers in the top 3. Lewis Hamilton has three second places and four third places this year.
After racing a week ago, Hamilton said he didn’t think there would be any win in 2022.
