Verstappen wants FIA talks to avoid “messy” F1 track limits repeat

Max Verstappen has revealed that Formula 1 drivers will speak with the FIA in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the “messy” track limits confusion sparked during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

A brilliant late battle for the lead between Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen was overshadowed by track limits rules at Turn 4. Hamilton was allowed to run wide at the corner 29 times without punishment before he was instructed to stop, while Verstappen was told to hand back the lead after illegally passing Hamilton by going off track.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was left frustrated by what he described as “shades of grey” in the rules and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff also called for greater clarity over the matter.

For this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the FIA will impose a strict three-strike system that will be policed the same way across all three days of running at Imola.

“Things can be easily resolved if you just put a wall there or gravel, it would help a lot,” Verstappen explained when asked for his thoughts on the track limits debate.

“In qualifying we had to stay on the kerb, so that is also what I was doing in the race, to be clean, but then of course I heard that Lewis was just going wide, so I did it for two laps, but then I was not allowed to do it any more.

“I don’t think you should be able to change it through the race. Either you can go wide, or not. I can understand of course with my overtake outside of the track limits that that’s not allowed, so that’s fine.

“But if you cannot gain an advantage by going wide overtaking, why are you allowed to do it on your own? That is what I think is not correct.”

Verstappen confirmed that he is seeking talks between the drivers and the FIA to ensure the guidelines do not change mid-race.

“So we will talk about that with the drivers and also with Michael about it, and we’ll see what comes out of it,” he added.

“I think it was a little bit messy in the race. I think everything before that was very strict and I think good, how we handled everything.

“But definitely in the race, I think for 30 laps or something, Lewis was going wide, and you gain time there. I tried it for two laps, and then they told me not to, so it’s a bit odd.

“About my overtake and whatever, I think yeah, that was fully understandable.”