Verstappen defends his driving after his clashes with the Ferraris

It becomes a habit, you have to call on Max Verstappen (Red Bull) to get some great moments of fighting in Formula 1. The Japanese Grand Prix was no exception. The Dutchman clashed twice with the Ferraris at the start of the race, before finishing third.

First of all, a failed braking at the chicane at the end of the first lap took him onto the synthetic grass. Returning to the track without looking in his mirrors, he pushed unceremoniously Kimi Räikkönen at the edge of the circuit, with an ignition on the key.

Did @Max33Verstappen deserve a 5-second penalty for this incident? #JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/ooiEotu5QD

- Formula 1 (@ F1) 7th October, 2018

“I braked slightly too late. I did everything in my power to get back on the track and I think I did it safely., defends the turbulent 21-year-old pilot. I didn't go back like crazy, but Kimi chose the wrong path.

He could also have waited a bit until I returned to the track. We touched each other gently, so I think this five second penalty is ridiculous. I was simply looking to get back on the route as soon as possible. Maybe next time I'll just cut the circuit » It has the merit of being clear !

A few minutes later, Max Verstappen was shaken by an attempt to overtake Sebastian Vettel at the Spoon bend. " In this place, you can't double. I even gave him some room inside, but he understeered. » For this incident, no penalty was given.

“I don’t make the rules. Otherwise, a hell of a lot of penalties would not have happened in F1. I think it's a similar scenario to what happened in China with Sebastian. He ran into the side of my car. I think we could have been more careful”, he analyzes, before tackling the driver of the Team. « This proves that even the most experienced can make mistakes under pressure! »

Find the analysis of the Japanese GP carried out by our special correspondents in issue 2186 of AUTOhebdo, available Monday evening in digital version and Wednesday on newsstands.