F1 team principal makes AGGRESSIVE Verstappen accusation after FIA p….read more
Williams team principal James Vowles has voiced concerns over Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving approach, following a recent FIA decision that rejected McLaren’s appeal over Lando Norris’s penalty for an off-track maneuver while attempting to overtake Verstappen during last weekend’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin.
The controversy began when McLaren submitted a Right of Review petition to the FIA, challenging the penalty given to Norris. The penalty was initially imposed after Norris attempted an outside overtake on Verstappen, with the stewards ruling that Norris was not fully alongside Verstappen’s Red Bull by the apex. McLaren, however, argued that Norris had already completed the overtake by the braking zone, suggesting the penalty was unjust. On Friday at the Mexican Grand Prix, the FIA upheld its original decision, rejecting McLaren’s request to review the incident.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Vowles expressed his view that Verstappen has a history of pushing the boundaries of F1 regulations, citing previous examples, including his controversial moves during the 2021 season. Vowles suggested that Verstappen’s driving style consistently tests the limits, raising the question of whether the sport should allow such aggressive maneuvers to become a defining characteristic of racing. He added, “Max always tests the limits of the rules, but he is still testing the limits. I think the bigger discussion for me is, do we want that in our sport, or do we want it to be a little more damped like it used to be?”
Vowles also supported the stewards’ decision in the Norris case, stating that Verstappen’s late braking and aggressive defense ultimately justified the penalty for Norris. However, he noted that the broader issue lies in determining what sort of racing Formula 1 should promote in the future. “It’s like to push someone off track and then not be able to make the turn—that’s just not the right way,” Vowles explained. He suggested that in situations like these, where one driver forces the other off-track, both cars often end up off the racing line, resulting in a less controlled and potentially unsafe environment.
When asked whether he would have preferred a scenario where the drivers were simply allowed to race without penalties, Vowles acknowledged that it could be ideal, but only if the regulations were clearer. He added that the current rules left too much room for interpretation, creating inconsistencies in how they are enforced. “The question is how we’re going to do this in the future,” Vowles said. “It’s not as clear as it should be, so it has to be changed in the future.”
The debate surrounding Norris’s penalty and Verstappen’s driving style has fueled discussions within the paddock about the future of F1 regulations and whether the sport should encourage aggressive, wheel-to-wheel racing or take a stricter stance on potentially risky maneuvers. As the Mexican Grand Prix weekend unfolds, Vowles’s comments add another layer to an ongoing conversation about how Formula 1 should balance competitive racing with safety and sportsmanship, ensuring a consistent and fair application of the rules for all drivers on the grid.
