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"Red Bull obviously asked Verstappen to do that"
- GPblog.com
There was a lot of controversy over the footage of Max Verstappen touching the rear wing of Lewis Hamilton after qualifying on Friday. He got away with only a hefty fine, but Formula One journalist Peter Windsor fears that punishment sets a precedent for the future.
"Red Bull Racing has obviously asked him to do that," Windsor explains in his YouTube analysis. "Just like Lewis, Valtteri and all the other drivers probably do all the time at the behest of their team."
Parc fermé rules under the microscope
He continued: "There is a rule that says that is not allowed, but it is not taken very seriously. In this case it was different, because Lewis' rear wing was under investigation and Max had touched a part of it. €50,000 is nothing for Verstappen and Red Bull, but it does prevent it from happening in the future."
Windsor regrets that parc fermé rules will now be looked at more strictly. "It's a bit of a tradition in the parc fermé, to look at the other cars after you get out. But I think it's good to draw the line at touching them," he notes.