The Turn 1 incident at the F1 Mexico City GP sparked a major debate about whether the stewards should have penalized Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen for going wide and regaining their positions, and Martin Brundle has had his say. While the stewards opted for no further action, several drivers, including George Russell and Fernando Alonso, voiced their frustration — they argued that drivers who stayed within track limits had an “unfair” advantage as they were caught in the crossfire.
In a recent podcast on The F1 Show, Sky pundit Martin Brundle stated that he believes both drivers should “100%” receive penalties for cutting the first corner at the F1 Mexico City GP. The former F1 driver sympathised with the other drivers who stayed on track and lost out amid the opening-lap confusion.
“I completely understand those drivers that were minding their business, staying on the racetrack, going, ‘Well hang on, I’m losing out here. I might as well just make my own racetrack up.’”
Believes Verstappen knew what he was doing
Brundle was stern when discussing Verstappen’s role in the incident, adamant on the fact that the Red Bull driver should have received a penalty, implying that he was well aware of his actions on the run down to turn 1.
“Max should have had a penalty because, sure, if you put your car on the far left in four abreast, it will go on the curb. But Max had no intention; you can see him accelerate. Really skilful driving through the grass, I must say. But Max made no effort whatsoever to take Turns 1, 2, or 3. And that should have been a penalty.”
Brundle views Verstappen’s move at the F1 Mexico City GP as calculated and highly skillful, as he takes a “risk” knowing he can rejoin the race effortlessly. In Brundle’s words, Verstappen can simply “bury the throttle and carry on.”
He noted that if the tables were turned, the Dutchman would question the other driver’s actions and condemn them.
“If the situation were reversed, Max would scream on the radio, claiming that the other driver had no intention of making the corner.”
Track layout invites such incidents
Brundle stated that the track layout for the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez invites such incidents at Turn 1, suggesting the FIA should introduce designated re-entry zones or slow-speed sections to prevent drivers from exploiting the wide runoff.
“The geography out there is just hopeless,” he said. “It needs zones, a place you’ve got to pass through, maybe even a zone where you have to proceed at pit lane speed limit for 50 or 100 metres — to make it as big a deterrent as a barrier in Monaco. Then they won’t go out there.”
Leclerc attempted Turn 1
When it came to Leclerc, the commentator shared that he believes the Ferrari driver made somewhat of an effort to make the corner before he ran out of room: “At least Charles made an attempt at Turn 1,” he explained. “Didn’t like the look of how it was shaping up, so just ignored Turn 2. For me, that’s also a 10-second penalty.”
Regarding the conclusion of the race, the final lap showcased an exhilarating battle between the Scuderia and Red Bull drivers for second place. However, some might argue that it felt unfair for them to maintain their positions without facing any penalties, especially since several drivers suffered at the back of the pack.
Brundle pointed out that implementing harsher penalties may be necessary to deter such behavior in the future.
“I might even have given somebody doing what Max did a drive-through, a proper deterrent to stop the silliness. Because then it all gets chaotic.”
