As fireworks lit up the Bahrain night sky, fans across the world, and excitingly fans that were able to return to the stands, sat shellshocked digesting the events in the final few laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Track limits became a frequent conversation piece throughout the media pens of the paddock as the highly contested call from the FIA directed towards Max Verstappen took centre stage. Max, declared to have had "a lasting advantage" which "overall must not be gained" by running wide at turn 4 to overtake his rival in the Mercedes, felt a sense of inconsistency from FIA Race Director Michael Masi who stayed true to the final call on the Redbull, however not on the Mercedes, reinstating the outlined limits several times across the weekend.
“With regard to tolerance given with people running outside of the track limits during the race, it was mentioned very clearly in the [drivers’] meeting and the notes that it would not be monitored with regard to setting the lap time so to speak – but it will always be monitored in according with the Sporting Regulations that a lasting advantage overall must not be gained." Masi clarified.
The instruction handed to Verstappen by Masi saw the Redbull immediately give the place back to Hamilton, putting the dutchman out of contention for the first P1 of 2021. The penalty itself was not directly for exceeding track limits, as was so hotly contested. The position switch was in accordance with the fact that Verstappen had gained "a lasting advantage by overtaking another car off the race track.”, Masi said, “Red Bull were actually given an instruction immediately by myself that I suggested they relinquish that position as listed in the Sporting Regulations, which they did. It wasn’t for exceeding track limits –".
The early on and off track controversy has prompted this seasons highly anticipated competition to intensify, so be it only the first race of the season. Fans are in for an exciting battle between the two constructors of Redbull and Mercedes, as well as the young gun in Max Verstappen and 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
In a sport where no checkered flag waved concludes the same result, who knows what we can expect of this record breaking 23-race season!
Beautifuly written😁 well done!!