BUDAPEST, Hungary – The Red Bull team, led by world champion Max Verstappen, received a warning from the stewards at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The sanction was due to the driver throwing a towel from the cockpit of his single-seater while on the track during Friday’s practice. Verstappen was seen throwing a white towel out of the cockpit of his Red Bull in the area between turns 3 and 4, halfway through the second practice session. The towel remained at the side of the track until the end of the session, and both Verstappen and a team representative were called before the stewards after the checkered flag to explain the incident. Red Bull was reprimanded for allowing the car to leave the pits in unsafe conditions.
The stewards determined that the towel had the potential to get trapped in the footwell and interfere with the driver’s ability to fully control the car, so the car was released in an unsafe condition. After the session, Verstappen commented on the incident:Shortly after car number 1 (Verstappen) left its garage, it was observed that the driver had thrown a towel out of the cockpit. The driver explained that, while in the garage, the towel had slipped from his lap towards the side of the seat and the team was unaware that it remained in the cockpit.
Stewards’ statement
Verstappen finished Friday’s practice in 14th place, after having problems with the balance of his Red Bull throughout the session. The pilot added:It’s just a towel that you normally wipe your face with when you get back to the boxes and it was still in the car when I left.
Max Verstappen
Today was very difficult, simply a feeling of very little grip. There is really no balance in the car, so it’s difficult to say what was wrong because nothing really worked.
Max Verstappen
