Max Verstappen says it was was essential for him to apologize to Oscar Piastri for hitting him at Flip 1 at first of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, even when he didn’t agree together with his subsequent penalty for it.
The Dutchman received a superb begin and had already overtaken Carlos Sainz when he tried a transfer down the within of Piastri below braking for the primary nook. Verstappen took to the within curb however was by no means absolutely alongside and tapped Piastri right into a spin — additionally pirouetting 360 levels himself — to place the McLaren driver to the again of the sphere.
“Launch was good after which I attempted to seize the within, and I rapidly realized, as soon as I dedicated to it, that the hole was closing and I wished to attempt to get out of it, as a result of I didn’t wish to trigger a crash with Oscar,” Verstappen stated. “Sadly we nonetheless clipped one another, however I already apologized to Oscar. It’s not what you wish to occur and particularly not with him — he’s an incredible man. It occurred. It’s only a bit unlucky.”
Verstappen was given a 10-second time penalty for inflicting a collision, one in all a a number of handed out for a similar infringement throughout the race, however prompt he was sad on the punishment.
“Actually, I don’t wish to speak about it. I’m simply blissful that the season is over,” he stated. “For me, an important factor that I needed to do is simply apologize to Oscar, as a result of I’ve nothing to realize, nothing to lose. I went for it. It didn’t work out. And particularly additionally for him that we each spun. It’s not good — he’s a pal of mine, so I don’t wish to have any, like, bizarre emotions or no matter, going into the break.
“I don’t perceive something [about penalties] anymore, nevertheless it’s effective, no matter. I’m not gonna get indignant about stuff like that. It’s not price my time. Simply have a break. Like I stated, an important factor is that I apologize to Oscar, and that’s it.
“I feel whenever you’re in that place, you’re specializing in the automotive forward, you commit. How I really feel it as nicely … whenever you begin first or second, you by no means actually regarded behind. So I went for it, after which I spotted, ’S***, he doesn’t see me there.’ So I used to be attempting to get out of it, however then we nonetheless clipped. In fact, that’s on me, however I used to be anticipating possibly 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I don’t know, stop-and-go? It’s possibly one thing to speak about for subsequent time.”
