Ted Kravitz, the familiar face from the Sky F1 pit-lane, has stirred the pot by accusing Red Bull of downplaying Max Verstappen’s collision with Lewis Hamilton during the recent race in Hungary. Kravitz claims Red Bull often labels such incidents as ‘racing incidents’, especially when Verstappen is involved, casting a critical eye over the team’s handling of his latest on-track antics.
During the Hungarian Grand Prix, a strategic move by Mercedes saw Verstappen leapfrogged by Hamilton following the first round of pit stops, elevating tensions and impatience for the Red Bull driver. The situation escalated when Verstappen, in a bid to reclaim his position, attempted a bold move on Hamilton. However, his maneuver at Turn 1 resulted in contact, as Verstappen locked up and clipped Hamilton’s front-right wheel, causing the latter’s car to momentarily lift off the track.
The race stewards decided not to issue any penalties, categorizing the incident as a ‘racing incident’—a decision echoed by Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner. ‘I would say a racing incident to be honest with you,’ Horner told Kravitz, expressing his hope that no further repercussions would arise from the event.
However, Kravitz was not convinced by this narrative. On his ‘Ted’s Notebook’ show, he articulated his skepticism, suggesting that Red Bull resorts to the ‘racing incident’ explanation whenever Verstappen is at fault. He remarked, ‘First of all, they’re calling it a racing incident, which is what Red Bull do when it’s Max Verstappen’s fault. But everyone else is calling it Max Verstappen’s fault with the last bit, outbraking himself, and would have gone straight on had Lewis not turned in. Lewis did turn in… well, Lewis didn’t turn in, he was there, and then Max went over his wheel.’
Meanwhile, Verstappen countered these accusations by blaming Hamilton for their tangling on the track. Defending his actions, Verstappen stated, ‘I went for a move that was fully on. But then in the middle of the braking zone, when I’m already committed of course to the move, he suddenly just keeps warping right.’ Verstappen argued that Hamilton’s continued rightward motion forced him to lock up to avoid a collision, insisting he had committed to the inside line and that Hamilton’s actions left him with no alternative.
Despite the tension, Hamilton managed to secure a podium finish, marking his 200th career podium in Formula 1. This achievement was somewhat overshadowed by the friction between the two drivers, as the debate over who was at fault persisted.
As the dust settled on the Hungarian Grand Prix, the incident between Verstappen and Hamilton remained a hot topic. While Red Bull and Verstappen defended their stance, Kravitz’s critique highlighted an ongoing debate over accountability in racing incidents. Such disagreements are part and parcel of the high-stakes world of Formula 1, where every maneuver is scrutinized, and reputations are always on the line.
