Verstappen Unhappy with Penalty for Bottas Clash

Max Verstappen disagrees with the five-second penalty handed down to him after clashing with Valtteri Bottas in the latter stages of the Italian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman had been under threat from Bottas throughout the race and had already run wide at the Retiffilio chicane after the Finn had already tried to overtake him.

After making a late pit stop to try and help team-mate Lewis Hamilton and also put Verstappen under pressure for the final spot on the podium, the Finn then came charging back at the Red Bull driver with fresher tyres.

The incident started as Bottas pulled towards the outside of the circuit with Verstappen placing his Red Bull on the inside to defend against the Mercedes, he moved left after Bottas had already moved alongside, causing a collision.

Bottas was then forced to go down the escape road after the contact and then proceeded to chase down the 20-year old once again, eventually finishing behind him to take third place once the penalty had been served.

Verstappen said: “We were in a position where we didn’t expect to be, I think I gave him a car width of space on the left of me and he basically clipped my wheel and he had to go straight.

“So, I don’t agree with it. But maybe they took the penalty because at the beginning of the race when he first tried to attack me and I went and wide and maybe that’s why, but even then I think it’s not fair because they gave it straight away.

“It’s a shame, but looking at the positives, the car was working really well.”

It was a mixed day in the office for Red Bull as Daniel Ricciardo pulled over for another car failure. The Australian was gutted, especially after trying to fight back from the back of the grid.