30/06/2019
NEWS STORY
Over three-and-a-half hours after today's Austrian Grand Prix ended, the Spielberg stewards decided that no further action was required in terms of Max Verstappen's race-winning move on Charles Leclerc.
"Verstappen sought to overtake Leclerc at Turn 3 on lap 69 by out-braking him," they said, having spoken to both drivers and their team representatives and studied the various video evidence.
"When doing so, Verstappen was alongside Leclerc on the entry of the corner and was in full control of the car while attempting the overtaking move on the inside.
"However, both Verstappen and Leclerc proceeded to negotiate the corner alongside each other but there was clearly insufficient space for both cars to do so.
"Shortly after the late apex, while exiting the corner, there was contact between the two cars. In the totality of the circumstances, we did not consider that either driver was wholly or predominantly to blame for the incident.
"We consider that this is a racing incident."
Speaking in the moments after the race, Verstappen said: "It's hard racing, otherwise we have to stay at home.
"If these things are not allowed in racing, then what's the point of being in Formula 1?"
"I'll let the stewards decide," said Leclerc. "It was pretty clear in the car, I don't know how it looked from the outside.
"I was on the outside just like the lap before," he added. "The lap before was completely fine, he left the space, a car width on the exit of the corner, but he didn't on the other lap. I had to go wide and then I didn't have any chance to come back.
"We'll see what the decision is."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Spielberg, here.