Max Verstappen has escaped any punishment for his collision with Lewis Hamilton at the Hungarian Grand Prix as the stewards felt ‘no driver was predominantly to blame’.
The Dutchman had an eventful race from the outset after he was ordered give back second place to Lando Norris after overtaking him off the track in the first corner.
His frustrations boiled over on team radio multiple times throughout the race was he cut an agitated figure in the cockpit.
After being undercut by Hamilton twice, Verstappen managed to close up to his rival in the latter stages and looked primed to take third.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided at the Hungarian Grand Prix
F1
But he locked up while attempting a lunge down the inside of Turn One and ended up being flung into the air after Hamilton touched his rear left tyre.
Verstappen dropped back behind Charles Leclerc in fifth as a result of the collision with stewards investigating the incident after the race.
There was an expectation from some pundits that Verstappen would receive a punishment with Rosberg of the belief that the Red Bull driver was at fault.
Hamilton brushed it off as a ‘racing incident’ while Verstappen pointed the finger at the seven-time world champion for turning in on him.
The stewards ultimately felt no punishment was necessary for either driver, although stated that Hamilton ‘could have done more to avoid the collision’.
“On the approach to turn 1, both Car 44 [Hamilton] and Car 1 [Versatppen] overtook Car 23 [Alex Albon],” the verdict read.
“Car 44 returned to the racing line before the braking zone and commenced to turn into turn 1.
“Car 1 approached the turn faster than on previous laps (due to DRS) and braked at the same point as previously.
“The driver of Car 1 argued that Car 44 was changing direction under braking.
Max Verstappen felt Lewis Hamilton was to blame
SKYSPORTS
“The driver of Car 44 stated that he was simply following his normal racing line (which was confirmed by examination of video and telemetry evidence of previous laps).
“It was clear that Car 1 locked up both front wheels on the approach to turn 1 prior to any impact occurring but missing the normal cornering line for a typical overtaking manoeuvre.
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“The driver of Car 44 stated that this was a racing incident, whilst the driver of Car 1 argued that this was a case of changing direction under braking.
“The Stewards do not consider this to be a typical case of ‘changing direction under braking’ although it is our determination that the driver of Car 44 could have done more to avoid the collision.
“Accordingly we determine that no driver was predominantly to blame and decide to take no further action.”