Former Formula 1 world champion, Nico Rosberg, has launched a scathing attack on Max Verstappen, questioning the leniency of the penalty handed to the Red Bull driver during the Spanish Grand Prix. Rosberg described the 10-second penalty as inadequate and suggested that it should have been a black flag for Verstappen.
The incident in question occurred when Verstappen collided with George Russell, resulting in the latter going off track. Despite crossing the finish line in fifth place, Verstappen was penalized, pushing him down to 10th position. Rosberg expressed his disbelief at the penalty, comparing it to past incidents in Formula 1 history, such as Sebastian Vettel’s clash with Lewis Hamilton in Baku 2017.
Rosberg criticized Red Bull’s decision to instruct Verstappen to let Russell pass after the first collision, which ultimately led to a second clash between the two drivers. The retired F1 driver condemned Verstappen’s actions, suggesting that the deliberate retaliation warranted a more severe punishment.
According to Rosberg, the deliberate nature of Verstappen’s actions, waiting for his opponent to ram into him before retaliating, should have resulted in a black flag and disqualification. The former champion emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable in the world of Formula 1 and called for stricter penalties to maintain the integrity of the sport.