The Red Bull director explains why he ordered the Dutchman to give back positions after his incident with Hamilton at the start. He admits the decision was frustrating but maintains that it avoided a penalty that could have cost much more than a couple of places.
The first lap of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid left one of the most talked about decisions of the weekend: Max Verstappen, who had started from third position, got tangled up with Lewis Hamilton at the start. The Ferrari Briton managed to get ahead but the Dutchman kept his position after cutting the first corner. From the Red Bull wall the order was clear: give the positions back to avoid a possible penalty.
Laurent Mekies, the Austrian team's director, explained the reasons for that decision after the race: "We would have simply been penalized with five or ten seconds at their discretion, that's what would have happened and of course, if you can imagine race scenarios with a Safety Car or other circumstances, it can cost you much more than one or two positions" declared Mekies to F1 TV. The director acknowledged that the situation was not easy and that he did not expect a thank you email from Max in the car, but he insisted that it was the right decision.
Verstappen did not hide his frustration over the radio at the time of the incident, even stating that Hamilton "almost rammed him." The Dutchman tried to resist the team's order, especially after having overtaken Kimi Antonelli to recover second position, however he finally complied with the instructions and let both Antonelli and Hamilton through. Shortly after, the Briton suffered a brake problem that forced him to retire, which allowed Verstappen to quickly recover second place.
Mekies defended the decision by arguing that waiting would have been riskier: "It's frustrating but I think P2 was the absolute best we could have achieved today" he stated. The Red Bull director highlighted Verstappen's ability to react, who knew how to manage the situation and take advantage of the Virtual Safety Car to optimize his pit stop: "Luckily Max gave up the position before Lewis retired and continued fighting the race from that point" he added.
Verstappen himself, in statements after the race, downplayed the incident and attributed it to the nature of the Madrid track: "It was just the nature of the track" commented the Dutchman, who preferred to focus on his performance and the final result. His second place at Madring leaves him sixth in the drivers' championship with 145 points, while Red Bull occupies fourth position in the constructors' championship.
Mekies and Red Bull's decision has generated debate in the paddock, some consider that the team was too conservative in giving up the positions, while others believe it was a smart move to avoid a penalty that could have compromised the final result. What is certain is that Verstappen managed to minimize the damage and score a valuable second place on a complicated weekend for Red Bull.
The Austrian team now looks toward the next challenge in Baku, where it hopes to continue scoring points and consolidate its position in the championship. The management of race situations and the ability to make difficult decisions in critical moments will continue to be key for Red Bull for the rest of the season.
The Madrid race left a lesson: sometimes, giving up positions can be the best strategy to win in the long run.
