Former tire expert: "Calling Verstappen in was a good decision"

Did it cost Verstappen the victory?

In conversation with Motorsport.com former tire expert Van de Grint says: "No, that's too easy", when asked if it cost him the victory. "You just have to do it at that moment, make that choice. It was a good decision at that moment: opting for safety and that extra point."

Verstappen probably wouldn't have had that extra point if he had driven on and there would also have been a risk of a flat tire for the Dutchman. A risk that Verstappen could have taken before the victory, but nobody knew that Hamilton would also run into it.

Getting second due to problems of others

"The fact that he came second thanks to other people's problems is a nice bonus." Here Van de Grint speaks from experience, since he has had similar situations in his days with Michael Schumacher.

"In this case, I speak from experience. I myself was in that situation with Schumacher and I also had to decide whether or not he could go another round. There's always some kind of luck factor in that."

Besides, it's always easy to talk afterwards, but that doesn't help anyone. "It's so easy to say something when you're sitting at home on your couch, but when you're there, it's really different. I'm not criticising and I think it's a good decision."

Mainly because you don't know in advance if Hamilton would end up in such a situation as Bottas. "In return. What if Max had had a flat tire? Suddenly it would have been a completely different story."