Verstappen summoned to stewards over alleged failure to slow for Bottas crash

Max Verstappen’s Mexican Grand Prix pole position was cast into doubt on Saturday afternoon, with the Dutchman summoned to the stewards over an alleged failure to slow for Valtteri Bottas’ Q3 crash.

Verstappen had already set a time good enough for provisional pole position when, with the chequered flag have already flown for Q3, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas crashed heavily at Turn 17.

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With Verstappen lapping just behind the Finn, the Dutchman went on to improve his pole time to a 1m 14.758s. Onboard camera footage appears to show Verstappen passed at least one yellow flag en route to the flag.

After a bullish appearance in the post-qualifying press conference, where Verstappen admitted that he’d been aware of the crash but hadn’t slowed down, the Red Bull driver was subsequently asked to pay a visit to the stewards over his alleged breach of Appendix H, Article 2.4.5.1 b of the FIA International Sporting Code – failure to slow for yellow flags.

It could mean a long evening of wrangling for Verstappen and his Red Bull team, with possible sanctions if he is deemed to have transgressed.