Over the past few months Max Verstappen’s defensive driving tactics have come under criticism from his fellow racers, with the likes of Kimi Raikkonen and recently Lewis Hamilton finding out how tough he can be to get past.
Previously Verstappen’s tactics were considered to be on the edge but legal; now the FIA has clarified the ruling on moving in the braking zones to outlaw them. According to Article 27.6 “Any change of direction under braking which results in another driver having to take evasive action will be considered abnormal and hence potentially dangerous to other drivers. Any such move will be reported to the stewards.” This change will be in effect from the United States Grand Prix.
This means moves such as Verstappen’s defence against Hamilton in Suzuka and Raikkonen in Hungary would be reported to the stewards, though whether or not he’d be penalised for it under the new ruling is another matter. While there’s no doubt this type of driving is right on the edge of what’s deemed fair, it does seem a shame to crack down on it because it’s far more exciting than watching yet another DRS pass.
Either way it’ll be interesting to see how Max changes his tactics, if at all – after all, he is a teenager!