Collision at the Austrian Grand Prix: Stella Criticizes Verstappen's Driving Style
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has openly criticized Max Verstappen’s driving style, attributing it as the catalyst for a dramatic collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. The incident, which occurred at the Red Bull Ring, resulted in punctures for both drivers, significantly impacting their race performance.
Verstappen, who has previously been involved in similar incidents, faced scrutiny once again. Stewards handed him a 10-second penalty, holding him solely responsible for the clash. This decision allowed George Russell to inherit the lead and ultimately secure victory, a turn of events that reshaped the outcome of the race.
Stella's vehement response to the incident is rooted in his belief that Verstappen's aggressive driving has been a recurring issue. He referenced past clashes, notably during the 2021 title battle with Lewis Hamilton, suggesting that these were not addressed satisfactorily.
"The entire population of the world knows who was responsible except for a group of people," Stella remarked, highlighting his frustration with the lack of adequate punitive measures in the past. "If you don't address these things honestly, they will come back. They weren't addressed properly in the past when there were fights with Lewis that needed to be punished in a harsher way."
Stella called for the FIA to reassess and reinforce its racing rules to ensure that such incidents do not continue to occur. He emphasized the necessity for clear and effective regulatory enforcement. "The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective. When a car is out of the race, as a consequence, then the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome," he stated.
The McLaren principal detailed how Verstappen's aggressive maneuvers were not isolated to this race, pointing out the broader implications for the sport. "Before this episode, twice he moved in braking. It is evident that we have to enforce the way to go racing," Stella warned.
Such incidents, according to Stella, are symptomatic of unresolved issues from past seasons. "In every kind of human dynamics, if you don't address things, as soon as you introduce competition, as soon as you introduce a sense of injustice, these things escalate. It's like anything," he elaborated, suggesting that the sport is seeing the repercussions of previously incomplete disciplinary measures.
Stella views the Austrian Grand Prix collision as an opportunity for the FIA and the sport to improve. "Here there was incomplete job, let's say, that comes from the past, and is a legacy that as soon as there was a trigger, immediately there is an outburst," he analyzed.
He urged for the existing rules to be applied more stringently to prevent a recurrence. "So I think this one, like I said before, this episode today should be taken as an opportunity to tighten up, to plump up the boundaries, and in fairness, enforcing some of the rules that are already in place," he argued. "But we need to be very clear that these rules cannot be abused in a way that then leaves a margin to do a couple of times the same manoeuvre, and you know the third time there is going to be an accident."
The incident had immediate and significant consequences for McLaren and Norris, resulting in lost points and a missed victory opportunity. "For us, there's a lot of points gone. And a victory which I think Lando deserved to have the opportunity to have," Stella reflected.
Despite the tension, Stella expressed a desire for cleaner and fairer racing in the future. "It could have been Max, it could have been Lando. That's racing. But racing like with collisions, we don't like it," he concluded.
As the dust settles on the Austrian Grand Prix, Stella's comments underscore the ongoing debate about driving standards and regulatory enforcement in Formula 1. The sport now faces a crucial juncture where definitive action could either perpetuate or resolve these contentious incidents.