Verstappen pours doubt on Ferrari Abu Dhabi 'error'

Max Verstappen's father Jos has poured scorn on the chances of Ferrari's fuel irregularity at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix having happened by mistake.

Prior to lights out at the Yas Marina Circuit, Charles Leclerc's car was found to have a "significantly" different amount of fuel inside than Ferrari had declared to the FIA.

Although Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expected a disqualification to be meted out, Ferrari were fined $50,000 but received no sporting penalty, so Leclerc kept his third-place finish.

The technical directive broken by Ferrari is one of several that have been issued recently amid growing scrutiny placed on the Scuderia's power gains in the second half of the season.

Max Verstappen said Ferrari had been prevented from "cheating" when the first of the TDs was issued ahead of the United States GP, and Verstappen Snr was also doubtful of the goings-on in Abu Dhabi.

"You know that this was not a calculation error," Jos told Ziggo Sport. "Ferrari does not just make such calculation errors."

"It is a sensitive subject in Formula 1, I do not want to burn my fingers on it. Next year, however, the rules really need to be tightened."

Speaking about the matter before Ferrari's punishment was handed down, Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said the matter was nothing to be concerned about.

"I don't think there's much to explain, there has been a discrepancy between measurements," he said.

"We believe that our measurements are correct. I think there is one measure which is not, but it's in their hands.

"We're happy on our side to understand and happy to go in detail, but it's not part of our discussion, our decision. So we are simply waiting as you are."

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