Jenson Button has offered his perspective on the pivotal crash at the Austrian Grand Prix involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, suggesting that Norris could have possibly done more to prevent the collision.
Button analyzed the controversial incident, which saw Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collide at Turn 3, leading to significant race consequences. Verstappen received a 10-second penalty after his maneuver during braking caused the Red Bull and McLaren cars to clip rear wheels. Both drivers suffered punctures, forcing Norris to retire, while Verstappen managed to finish in fifth place after pitting.
Following the incident, McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, criticized the stewards for previously overlooking Verstappen’s aggressive driving, which she believes has emboldened his tactics. However, Button viewed the penalty as appropriate and suggested Norris could have taken action to avoid the crash.
“There’s much debate about Max moving in the braking zone and if his penalty should have been harsher,” the 2009 F1 World Champion told Sky Sports F1. “I don’t think so. When he braked, he slightly veered left, which can happen naturally. The issue was that he moved left because Lando was there, hence the 10-second penalty. But Lando had more room on the track to move left and avoid the contact.”
Button referenced a similar situation from the previous year’s Austrian Grand Prix to support his point, where Carlos Sainz and Verstappen were involved in a similar close encounter at the same corner, but avoided contact by adjusting their positions.
He characterized the collision as “hard racing” between Norris and Verstappen and noted the budding rivalry as positive for Formula 1. Button anticipates more fierce competition between the two drivers in the future and believes their rivalry will enhance the upcoming British Grand Prix.
“This incident is reminiscent of last year in Austria, where Sainz moved left and Verstappen followed but stayed on the curb without contact. It’s just part of intense racing. While these moments can go wrong and stir discussions, it’s great for the sport. I expect these two to be battling for wins for years and they’re likely to be front-runners at Silverstone,” Button concluded.
