Marko on extra grid penalty for Verstappen: "That hasn't been decided yet"
Red Bull Content Pool
General
- GPblog.com
Helmut Marko has commented for the first time on the grid penalty given to Max Verstappen for causing the crash with Lewis Hamilton at the Italian GP. The Red Bull Racing advisor isn't quite sure if he agrees with the decision yet.
"I don't know if it's fair. If you look at the result in Silverstone, definitely not. But we are now trying to make the best of it in Sochi," Marko told F1 Insider. The grid penalty in Russia is three places, so Verstappen will have to start from fourth if he qualifies on pole position.
Still no clarity on engine Verstappen
It is possible that Verstappen will start from the back of the grid. The Dutchman has to accept a grid penalty anyway because he will not make it with three engines in 2021. Red Bull has not made any decisions yet. "That hasn't been decided yet. But I think in Sochi you can overtake pretty well." The last seven editions were all won by a Mercedes car in Russia.
Christian Horner announced on Sunday that he disagreed with the penalty handed out by the stewards. The Red Bull team boss commented through Red Bull channels: "What happened between Max and Lewis was, in our opinion, a genuine racing incident."