Verstappen takes blame after causing collision: 'It was unfortunate'
Red Bull Contentpool
F1 News
- Cas van de Kleut
Max Verstappen sparked controversy during the opening phase of the latest IMSA Esports Global Championship race. The Dutchman collided with the championship-leading car in an incident that drew significant attention. After completing his stint, Verstappen acknowledged his role in the collision, admitting the accident was his fault.
Verstappen admits mistake after incident in sim race
The four-time Formula One world champion said, "I just locked up a bit, locked the rears. With this car, it is very difficult to control that. So I just went wide and of course, there was the other car that I couldn't avoid. So that was a bit unlucky there, my mistake."
The incident had the potential to significantly impact the championship. The Williams team, which Verstappen collided with, was leading the standings at the time. Close behind them was a Team Redline car, also in contention for the title, making the collision a critical moment in the championship battle.
Verstappen continued, "I think both of the cars had damage. It was quite a difficult first stint with that damage everywhere. Then we boxed and then the car was almost fully repaired, so the pace was almost back. Then I tried to pass a backmarker, I think a GT3 car, but he didn't hold his line. I honestly think he wanted to just move out of the way and it was a bit of miscommunication. I had damage again within three laps of that stint. So I wouldn't say it was particularly great."
In the end, Verstappen and his teammate, Gustavo Ariel, finished 12th in the race. Despite the early collision, the championship-leading Williams team managed to minimize the damage. By finishing tenth, they secured enough points to clinch the championship title.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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