F1 News
Palmer reviews how Verstappen "dug his own grave" after qualifying in Mexico
Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Shortly after defending Max Verstappen for his driving during the Mexican Grand Prix, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer criticised the Dutchman for the way he lost his pole position on Saturday, saying he "dug his own grave" with his comments after the session.
Verstappen already posted the quickest lap in Q3 after the first run but he was on another purple lap in the final shoot-out.
Just ahead of the 22-year-old, Valtteri Bottas has spectacularly crashed his Mercedes at turn 16 of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, causing double yellow flags.
Verstappen didn't slow down, however, as he went on to improve on his own time to set a new track record. Many questioned the legality of the lap but it stood, with the FIA saying no investigation was necessary, until Verstappen himself stated after qualifying he was aware of Bottas' crashed car and he didn't lift when passing the wreckage.
"In the cockpit, he probably thought Bottas' crash was going to cost him pole, as his rivals might improve and he wouldn't be able to," Palmer explained in his BBC Sport column.
"That is the only mindset that makes sense here, and therefore Red Bull could have helped him out from the pit wall.
"The team would have been able to see, but Verstappen in the car would have been unaware - hence his keeping his foot in past the yellow flag.
"But this doesn't excuse Verstappen, who should have known he had to back off anyway, as Sebastian Vettel had done ahead."
The telemetry on Verstappen's RB15 did show a clear lift at the end of the lap, but the seven-time Grand Prix winner's comments after securing his second pole of the season were what turned the heads of the stewards, as they initially stated no investigation was needed.
"What was surprising is that it seemed to take Verstappen's comments in the media to spark an investigation at all.
"This was where the Dutchman really dug his own grave and forced the hand of the FIA, who by this point had no choice but to investigate and subsequently penalise the Red Bull man."
