21 November 2023 , 20:31
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Ted Kravitz believes Max Verstappen's penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix was harsh - despite Charles Leclerc's complaints.
Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Leclerc to go wide off the track on the first corner. Leclerc moaned about Verstappen's behaviour, and the stewards responded by forcing the world champion to spend some additional time in the pit lane.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen still won his 18th race of the season. Although Verstappen refused to complain about his punishment after the Las Vegas GP, Sky Sports pundit Kravitz believes the incident involving the two drivers was simply "hard racing".
"If we go to how Max Verstappen did it, well, it began with a very stout defence against Charles Leclerc on lap one," said Kravitz in Ted's Notebook.
"Now you can look at this two ways. The stewards decided to look at it in a way that merited a five-second penalty for forcing another driver off the track. I don’t know, I’ve kind of seen that before. I sort of felt that that was sort of hard racing.
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"You go down, you’ve got somebody on the outside, and then you’re kind of walking him gently to the outside, compromising him while then you cut in and they go off. Is that not allowed anymore? I mean, yes, it was firm. It did cause another driver to go off."
Leclerc demanded the stewards to analyse Verstappen's manoeuvre immediately after going off the track and insisted it would be a "joke" if he kept his position. Verstappen told reporters after the race: "I didn't mean to push Charles off the track, but I couldn't slow down. Looking back, the penalty was probably the right call."
Verstappen clashed with Charles Leclerc during last Saturday's race (Getty Images)Do you agree with Ted Kravitz? Let us know in the comments below!
Leclerc also said after the race: "Max already came to me and explained the situation. Obviously, it was on, over the limit. I think the five-second penalty is deserved. It was tight. I still tried to push off the track but it was so low grip. It's the way it is.
"He has been penalised, he paid the penalty and I think that was the right penalty to give... It would be better for the FIA to ask to give the place back because I think there is quite an advantage to take care of the tyres when you have free air."
Verstappen, who has already claimed a third consecutive world title, won a thrilling Las Vegas GP by finishing two seconds ahead of Leclerc in the Ferrari. Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez completed the podium, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon in fourth.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll finished fifth, while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz placed just behind him. Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished seventh and eighth respectively. The final race of the year will take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.