During the Hungarian Grand Prix, a collision occurred between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1.
While Max Verstappen was the “main cause” behind his Hungarian GP collision with Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen was “compromised” by Hamilton exploiting a “grey area” regarding movement in the braking zone.
That is the opinion of Sky F1 analyst Anthony Davidson, who cast his verdict on the incident which saw Verstappen launch a move down the inside of Hamilton for P3 at the Hungaroring, only to lock up and tag the front-right wheel on Hamilton’s Mercedes, sending Verstappen briefly airborne.
Did Lewis Hamilton use Max Verstappen’s ‘grey area’ trick from Austria?
Hamilton secured the last spot on the podium, while Verstappen settled for fifth place. The incident was later examined by the stewards. Hamilton viewed it as a regular racing occurrence, whereas Verstappen squarely blamed Hamilton. Nevertheless, the stewards concluded that no additional measures were necessary.
After the race, Verstappen mentioned the criticism he received for his collision with Lando Norris in Austria, resulting in a 10-second penalty. Davidson pointed out that Hamilton also took advantage of a similar “grey area” by making a turn at the first corner of the Hungaroring, which made Verstappen feel uneasy.
Davidson started by addressing his involvement in Max’s case in Austria, specifically discussing the issue of moving under braking and the ultimate cause of the collision. He mentioned that Max moved to the left-hand side after initially moving to the right into Turn 3, which resulted in the collision.
There are two factors that need to be examined: firstly, the cause of the lock-up in Hungary, and secondly, the responsible party for the collision.
“While descending the straight, Lewis stays ahead of him, and they both pass the Williams car. Lewis then maneuvers back towards the racing line, as one would anticipate, and it seems that he takes a slightly narrower angle into the corner. This unexpected early turn surprises Max to some extent.”
“He is aiming for the opening, assuming it will be a direct path, and Lewis takes advantage of it. There comes a moment when you must veer towards the corner. This is the uncertain territory where all these drivers navigate. Max was doing it in Austria, and now Lewis is doing it here. It creates a discomfort for the driver attempting to pass you.”
“And now, as they move onto the marbles, it becomes exceedingly difficult to decelerate.”
“What occurs next, however, is that despite having ample space, significantly more than the width of a car to your right, you can still maneuver through the inner lane. However, due to the excessive speed you’re maintaining, it is highly likely that you will experience wheel lock-up, and that is precisely what unfolds.”
“It’s not only a single wheel lock-up, but both front wheels lock-up simultaneously. This causes the car to travel in a straight line, ultimately resulting in the collision.”
Catch-up on the key headlines after a dramatic Hungarian GP
Explained: Why did Max Verstappen escape penalty for Lewis Hamilton collision?
Petulant, emotional, and brilliant: We need to talk about ‘Mad Max’ Verstappen
“And we have a more favorable chance with this aerial view, as it conveys a more compelling narrative. As Lewis prepares to turn in, the car unexpectedly veers to the left when it locks up for Max. However, it is merely an optical illusion. The occurrence is a result of a double front lock-up, causing a loss of steering control, which ultimately caught Lewis off guard.”
“He didn’t turn out the corner because the sudden straight movement of the car on the inside caught him off guard. The significant lock-up and the car’s potential to go wide were clear indicators of the main cause of the collision. I believe it was a racing incident, but Max’s compromised position entering the corner played a role.”
“It’s that ambiguous zone, as I mentioned, where it becomes uncertain whether it’s a deliberate maneuver to hinder your opponent when they attempt to overtake you by moving out and you respond accordingly. This is distinct from a more subtle change in direction. However, both occur within the braking zone. Similarly, the entry to the corner also falls within the braking zone, naturally.”
Norris, who finished P2 in Hungary as part of a McLaren one-two, trimmed Verstappen’s Drivers’ Championship lead to 76 points going into the final race before the summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix.
Read next – Verdict: Who will win the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship?
