The tests are over and for Red Bull and Verstappen they have left mixed feelings. The team is a clear candidate to be among the best and compete for the title, but, nevertheless, in the tests in Bahrain a series of problems have been detected that will have to be amended before the start of the season in order to be 100% in the fight for the championship.
Beyond the tests, attention has been focused on a gesture by Verstappen. The current champion made the news not so much for his race tactics or disciplinary problems, but for a ‘friendly joke’ aimed at the young Williams driver, Luke Browning. The aggressive Red Bull driver made a controversial gesture during the test session by showing his middle finger while accelerating next to the Williams garage. A gesture that caused a stir in the paddock.
The FIA is lenient
Despite the FIA’s recent crackdown on driver conduct, which could lead to drivers facing fines, race bans and point deductions, it seems that Verstappen will probably escape any punitive measures for his gesture. The FIA has decided not to investigate the incident. Why? The recipient of the gesture was Luke Browning, a friend of the Dutchman.
Therefore, Max Verstappen’s gesture was more of a “friendly greeting” to an old acquaintance than a defiant gesture towards photographers or members of the Williams team. Therefore, it will not bring the Dutchman any closer to being banned from racing, as the FIA has confirmed that it will not investigate the incident, even after the evidence is concluded.
The reigning champion is getting away with it against an FIA that has been very firm in this regard in the recent past. For example, Adrien Fourmaux was fined 10,000 euros for saying “we fucked up” in a TV interview in the WRC, and Max Verstappen himself had his run-ins with the international federation over his use of language.
This is not the first run-in Verstappen has had with a Williams driver. Earlier this year, the Dutchman crossed paths with Williams iRacing Academy driver Jaden Munoz during a virtual race, leading to a heated exchange between the two racers. He is a passionate driver and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to successfully walk the disciplinary tightrope while defending his World Championship title.
This is how Verstappen experienced the tests
The reigning world champion finished second in the final day’s qualifying and after the end of the tests, Verstappen gave his assessment of how he sees the car with which he will try to revalidate his championship title. “I think we had a decent day today. There were a few small issues, but overall, we pretty much completed what we wanted to do,“ said the Red Bull driver. ‘I think it wasn’t bad, but at the same time there’s still a bit of work to be done. However, it’s what we expected and we’ll keep working and trying to improve and hopefully, when we get to Melbourne, we’ll learn a little more by analyzing all the data and seeing where we stand.”
“It’s hard to know what everyone’s pace is, so we still have a bit of work to do. We can’t wait to get back to proper racing in Australia,” said Verstappen.