Former world champion Jones doesn't understand Verstappen's reaction: 'Just drive'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The limits of a circuit have been the subject of discussion within Formula 1 for several years now. On some circuits they would be too strict, on other circuits they would allow too much. In Bahrain it was a mix. During practice and qualifying there were sensors in turn four, which were switched off during the race. It raised many questions why the limit was set there in the first place.
Alan Jones, world champion in 1980, also finds it strange that the FIA makes different choices in enforcing track limits. "It's an interesting discussion and also important that it's talked about. In the first place you have to ask yourself if he had to go outside the track for the overtaking action and next to that you can ask yourself if he should have given the spot back", Jones explained talking to Peter Windsor.
Instructions for Red Bull
According to the Australian, Verstappen would have been much better off driving on after his overtake. "He could also have just focused on increasing the lead, because they often give you a five-second penalty and I think there was a good chance he could have extended that lead to the point where it would have been more than five seconds."
Nevertheless, Red Bull Racing opted to move the Dutchman back to second place, handing Hamilton back the lead. "You do see the inconsistency of Formula 1. If they just let him race, would they still give five seconds or just more because you ignore the instructions," Jones wonders aloud.
Verstappen should have accelerated
When Windsor asked him what Jones would choose in a similar situation, he would drive on to build a gap. "Definitely. It's a bit like what happened in Canada, when Vettel went wide and came back just in front of Hamilton. He lost the race as a result, but did finish first. If I was Verstappen, I would definitely have just driven on to win the race on the track," Jones concluded.