Button explains his "frustration" with Verstappen whilst talking to Horner
F1 News
Former F1 World Champion Jenson Button has called for a rule change in Formula 1 after the Max Verstappen vs. Lando Norris duel in the United States Grand Prix. Button argues Verstappen has a good understanding of the regulations that 'allow drivers to push another car completely off the track'. Button explained this in a conversation with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
Norris caught up with Verstappen during the second half of the race, and the two engaged in a multi-lap duel around the Circuit of the Americas. On lap 52, Norris actually got ahead of Verstappen but because the overtaking had happened off-track and Verstappen was ahead at the apex, the stewards penalised him. Norris picked up a five second time penalty and was unable to advance five seconds down the road in the remaining laps, meaning Verstappen got the place back in the race results.
Why Button wants to see a rule change in Formula 1
After the race, Horner joined Sky Sports to reflect on the situation. Button explained how he was "frustrated" with what happened in the United States Grand Prix. “It’s frustrating for us watching because Lando overtook him off the track but then Max went off the track, and it’s all about who’s in front at the apex. Max was in front but is that because he let off the brake in the apex so he ran them both off track? It seems your driver is very good at understanding the regulations and it’s more of the problem that we need better regulation of what is okay and what isn’t," Button told Horner directly.
"We saw it with many fights on the track at that corner. Guys overtaking, putting it down the inside and then just driving the other guy off the track. If it was Monaco they wouldn’t do that. We need a rule that you cannot push another car completely off the track and then I think we would have some better racing and we wouldn’t have to keep talking about this," Button expressed.
Horner replied by saying he understood the frustration. "At the end of the day the rules are the rules. The drivers know that and they're driving accordingly. Max was acutely aware that as soon as Lando went over that white line, off track and overtook, that that's illegal. He was straight on the radio. I think before that there were some track limits as well, so there was a whole bunch of things going on at that point in time," Horner replied.
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