Verstappen: Austria penalty won't change my race

Max Verstappen says receiving a penalty for the overtaking incident on Charles Leclerc which ultimately won him the Austrian Grand Prix would not change the fact he performed so well.

With only a couple of laps remaining, Verstappen burst beyond Leclerc after failing to do so in the two laps previous, with the cars touching slightly round a corner as the former went through to take P1.

The stewards are yet to make a decision on whether the incident merits a penalty for Verstappen, but for him, there is no way it should be given to Red Bull.

“It doesn't change my race, does it?,” he said of the potential penalty.

“So, I had a great race, but I don't think we should get a penalty for that.

“He has to wait a bit. I never opened the steering wheel. I am in front, but he just tried to go round the outside which is not possible.”

The victory for Verstappen was all the more remarkable considering he was overtaken by several drivers off the starting line after appearing to suffer an engine stall.

He eventually tore through the rest of the grid, though, and made it to the leading position with just two laps remaining.

He reckons his start was disappointing, but was confident of a good result if he kept pushing forward.

“So, amazing to come back after that poor start.,” Verstappen continued.

“I had a car which is working really well. I was disappointed (at his start) but I just kept pushing hard.”

The win for the Dutchman is the first for a non-Mercedes driver in the 2019 F1 season.

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