Max Verstappen had a challenging start at the British Grand Prix but managed to secure a second-place finish behind Lewis Hamilton. However, he also found himself in trouble with the FIA stewards three times.
Red Bull faced fines on three occasions as Verstappen exceeded the 80kph speed limit during reconnaissance laps before the race started at Silverstone. These infractions were minor, with the Dutchman going just 0.4kph and 0.5kph over the limit. Each violation cost Red Bull £85, a relatively small penalty.
Despite his early struggles, Verstappen began the race in fourth and ended up second, extending his championship lead over Lando Norris. Verstappen expressed satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging Red Bull’s challenges in the race’s early stages and crediting the team’s strategic tire calls for his strong finish. He mentioned that at one point, he feared finishing as low as fifth or sixth but praised his team for their decisions to switch between slicks and intermediates at the right times, as well as opting for hard tires over soft in the final stint.
Norris, who led at one point, fell to third after a slow pit stop, which he attributed to his error in missing the marks in front of the McLaren garage. Reflecting on the missed opportunity for his second F1 win, the 24-year-old Brit acknowledged his own mistakes and expressed frustration over not achieving a perfect race, especially at his home Grand Prix.
