> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Verstappen's fresh F1 penalty ire is misguided - URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappens-fresh-f1-penalty-ire-is-misguided/ - Published: 2024-12-08T16:50:38.000Z - Updated: 2024-12-09T11:15:44.000Z - Description: Max Verstappen says he doesn’t “understand anything anymore” after he was handed a 10-second penalty for his first lap clash with Oscar Piastri in Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Author: Josh Suttill - Tags: Formula 1, #red-bull, #max-verstappen, #oscar-piastri, #mclaren Max Verstappen says he doesn’t “understand anything anymore” after he was handed a 10-second penalty for his first lap clash with Oscar Piastri in Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen was trying to wrestle second place from Piastri with a late dart to the inside of the McLaren driver at Turn 1 on the opening lap. > First corner drama 🗣️ [pic.twitter.com/nParPnKraZ](https://t.co/nParPnKraZ?ref=the-race.com) > > — The Race (@wearetherace) [December 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1865746793352331609?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) The pair made contact and both were sent into a spin that dropped them out of second and third. The stewards deemed Verstappen to be at fault and handed him a 10-second penalty as punishment - something Verstappen wasn’t impressed with over the radio, saying “could we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots”. > 📻 [pic.twitter.com/zw7t8gseI5](https://t.co/zw7t8gseI5?ref=the-race.com) > > — The Race (@wearetherace) [December 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1865755857117450552?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) Verstappen made it clear after the race that his anger wasn’t with Piastri and that he’d apologised to the McLaren driver, in a somewhat less angry but still frustrated take on the events. “I tried to grab the inside, and I quickly realised, once I committed to it, that the gap was closing and I wanted to try and get out of it, because I didn't want to cause a crash with with Oscar,” Verstappen said. > CONTACT BETWEEN VERSTAPPEN AND PIASTRI! [pic.twitter.com/3qbei1acLu](https://t.co/3qbei1acLu?ref=the-race.com) > > — The Race (@wearetherace) [December 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1865744511604805711?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=the-race.com) “But unfortunately, we still clipped each other, but I already apologised to Oscar. It's not what you want to happen and especially not with him, he's a great guy. It happened. It's just, a bit unfortunate.” When asked if he was surprised by the penalty he said “honestly, I don't want to talk about it. I'm just happy that the season is over. “For me, the most important thing that I had to do is just apologise to Oscar, because I have nothing to gain, nothing to lose. I went for it. It didn't work out. And especially also for him that we both spun. “It's not nice, he's a friend of mine, so I don't want to have any, like, weird feelings or whatever, going into the break.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2024/12/XPB_1325333_HiRes.jpg) Piastri said “The penalty speaks for itself” while Verstappen understands why Piastri didn’t see him and expected a bigger penalty for himself. “The thing was that I think when you're in that position, you're focusing on the car ahead, you commit. You never really, I mean, that's how I feel it as well. When you start first or second, you never really looked behind,” he explained. “So I went for it, and then I realised s\*\*\* he doesn't see me there. So I was like, trying to get out of it, but then we still clipped. “Of course, that is on me, but I was expecting maybe 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I don't know, stop-and-go. It's maybe something to talk about for next time.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2024/12/XPB_1324717_HiRes.jpg) When asked by The Race if he understood what penalties are given for, given Verstappen’s frustration with his one-place grid penalty in Qatar and his bemusement that his Abu Dhabi penalty wasn't bigger, he replied: “I don't understand anything anymore, but it's fine, whatever. “I'm not gonna get angry about stuff like that. It's not worth my time. Just have a break.” Verstappen also picked up two penalty points for the incident, meaning he’s up to eight now, four short of an automatic race ban. “Maybe I go to 12 when the baby is born. So paternity leave,” Verstappen joked. ### This one makes sense ### Josh Suttill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2024/12/XPB_1325384_HiRes.jpg) Of all the penalties handed out in the 2024 F1 season this feels like one of the most clear-cut, correct decisions, despite Verstappen's view. Verstappen and Lando Norris’s controversial clashes in Austin and Mexico were far more complex and divisive, this one just feels pretty simple. Verstappen had a right to try something but it was a mistake that had big consequences for Piastri and a punishment was necessary. You could argue for some first-lap leniency but this was a fairly isolated one-on-one situation you get on a first lap with no other cars playing a role in the incident, unlike a lot of similar colisions. Verstappen’s frustration is likely more focused on his discontent with previous penalties such as his [Qatar grid drop](https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-loses-qatar-gp-pole-russell-driving-slowly/) and [Mexico punishments](https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-f1-mexican-grand-prix-penalty-explained/). As he says, he’s got a break from it and that will be why he elected against making unloading his anger at penalties his 2024 sign-off. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dd/af/ddafbd99-2ccd-468c-b622-4b3cccf80b49/content/images/2024/12/XPB_1325300_HiRes.jpg) But those same frustrations will surely resurface in early 2025 especially when the points are reset in another potential multi-team title fight. After all, the [mooted 2025 racing rules changes](https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-racing-rules-fia-driver-best-meeting/) are only set to take away some of the grey areas Verstappen exploits so well, rather than ease his frustrations.