Palmer: Stewards made the correct decision regarding Verstappen and Leclerc
F1 News
Jolyon Palmer believes the stewards made the correct decision regarding Max Verstappen's controversial overtake on Charles Leclerc at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen was given the win after a lengthy investigation from the stewards.
Verstappen became the first person other than a Mercedes driver to win since he himself won in Mexico last year. His other win last season was also in Austria.
However, the race didn't come without its controversy as the drivers faced a lengthy wait to find out the result after the race as the stewards investigated Verstappen's move on Leclerc, on lap 69. Leclerc was forced off the track at turn three but the stewards deemed the move to have been legal and the result stood.
Despite "agonising" over the decision, Palmer is finally confident the stewards made the right call and feels the lack of evidence against Verstappen swayed the decision.
I've agonised over this for a couple of days, and, after looking at it again and again, I probably agree with the stewards' decision, purely because there are strong arguments on both sides of the debate and no concrete evidence of wrongdoing," Palmer wrote in his column for BBC Sport.
"Leclerc made a mistake by leaving the door wide open for Verstappen, who took the inside and bundled his rival off the track on the exit of the corner.
"The rules state that deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track is strictly prohibited. The question is - was it deliberate? If it was, then it's simply against the rules. If it wasn't, then it's good, hard racing."