Episode
Verstappen Concedes for Smart Strategy | F1 News
- Published
- Sep 13, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 94
- Processing state
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- https://sources.thednn.ai/0161cbd71ae50b98
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Summary
Max Verstappen finished second at the Spanish GP after a tense first lap battle, but he could’ve won — until Red Bull ordered him to give up two spots. After cutting a corner and nudging Lewis Hamilton off track, Verstappen was ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Giving Hamilton back the position also meant letting Antonelli through — a move Verstappen protested but obeyed on lap four. Team boss Laurent Mekies defended the call, saying it was smarter to concede early than risk a harsh penalty later. Race control didn’t order the handover, so Red Bull made the call themselves under pressure — ultimately securing second place as the best possible outcome. Even with Hamilton’s retirement, Mekies stood by the decision, calling it a split-second tactical play to avoid bigger trouble. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Sources: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-defends-decision-to-force-max-verstappen-to-give-back-two-positions/10855489/ More coverage & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/0161cbd71ae50b98 Report issues to [email protected].