Sky F1’s Martin Brundle believes Max Verstappen should have been penalized for cutting the opening corner sequence at the Mexico City Grand Prix, accusing the Red Bull driver of “no intention” to make the turn.
The reigning world champion found himself squeezed on the outside of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track in a four-car battle heading into Turn 1, before darting across the grass and rejoining in fourth – with the stewards taking no action.
But Brundle wasn’t convinced Verstappen’s lawnmower move was simply a case of survival.
“Max should have had a penalty, because if you put your car on the far left in four abreast, it will go on the kerb,” Brundle told Sky F1. “But Max had no intention. You can see Max accelerate.
“Really skillful driving through the grass, I must say. But Max made no effort whatsoever to take Turns one, two or three, and that should have been a penalty.
“Max took the risk on the outside, knowing full well he could just bury the throttle and carry on.
“It’s the sort of thing if the fireproof boot had been on the other foot, Max would have been screaming about on the radio, saying he had no intention of making that corner. He didn’t.”
Time to Stop the Silliness
Verstappen wasn’t the only driver to skip part of the first-corner complex, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also running wide while avoiding contact in the melee. But Brundle argued both should have faced sanctions to prevent what he sees as creeping leniency from race control.
“At least Charles made an attempt at Turn 1,” Brundle added. “He didn’t like the way it was shaping up so just ignored Turn 2. That for me was also a 10-second penalty.”
The former Grand Prix driver went a step further, suggesting the stewards should have made an example of Verstappen to curb future chaos in opening-lap battles.
“I might even have given somebody doing what Max did, a drive-through, as a proper deterrent to stop the silliness, because then it all gets chaotic,” he said.
While the stewards chose not to intervene, Brundle’s comments have struck a chord with fans frustrated by what they see as inconsistent officiating at race starts.
The Turn 1 shortcut allowed Verstappen to escape potential damage – and, some argue, gain a lasting advantage over rivals who stayed on track.
For Brundle, the message is simple: if you skip multiple corners and emerge unscathed, there should be a price to pay. And in Mexico, he believes Verstappen got off far too lightly.
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