Thread by @AeroTechVH

#F1 #SaudiArabianGP 2025

🟧/🟦 - The Controversial Moment

So we've had the 1st one of those this year and we can do a deep dive on the incident from multiple angles

First, let's examine the ruling. The Stewards observe Piastri as the attacker and rule he was significantly alongside so he had the right to be given room. Ok, he had the room - he was on the inside...

Second part is especially important - Verstappen left the track on his own in Stewards view. This is not true and it was clear as day - he was pushed off and it's easy to be proven.

The problem with this ruling is that it completely contravenes the ruling in Mexico 2024 regarding Verstappen pushing Norris off - which was a fair penalty. There we have two points:

- Norris was ruled to be ahead at entry, apex and exit and thus was to be given enough room on the outside and this is correct
- it is noted he is pushed off (true) and gives back position to Sainz as he cuts the 2nd corner significantly

Being ahead at the apex and being pushed off - we remember this for later, even though stewards ignored these points

1. T1 Apex in Jeddah

Via Google Maps we can observe the corner 100% accurately and we can establish the kerbs are symmetrical around the apex axis. So the 3rd white block marks the apex of the corner - we remember this for later too

2. Outside Evidence of Track Position

On overhead photo we see that Verstappen is ahead at exit and is not going to be given room on the outside

From Russell's car we see that Max appears to be ahead on entry and apex too. We also see Piastri is extremely wide and off-line and does not give space

Piastri probably understeered, carrying too much speed for inside line, which doesn't matter for ruling and is just an explanation of what probably happened

3. Inside Evidence - Verstappen's angle

At the entry into T1, Verstappen was ahead

At the apex of T1, Verstappen was ahead

Being pushed off, Verstappen doesn't tun right immediately and actually keeps turning left - there is no evidence whatsoever he didn't plan to make the corner. This is important for ruling because Stewards are clear that he left the track on his own

4. Inside Evidence - Piastri's angle

We can see clearly also from Piastri's onboard that he wasn't ahead of the apex and thus shouldn't have been ruled entitled to close the door on the outside

Moreover, due to understeer most likely, he can just barely keep the car on the inside of track limits in T2 apex. He was never going to give enough room to Verstappen, but it doesn't matter if this was on purpose or due to understeer.

5. Telemetry

We do have available telemetry of Lap 1 and I zoomed in at T1-2 chicane via @f1insightshub

We can see clearly:

- Piastri has better initial acceleration, validating telemetry accuracy ✅
- Verstappen was much earlier on brakes, ie Piastri was much later on brakes and this is especially important because you usually need to be a touch earlier on brakes when you are on the inside line
- Verstappen reduces deceleration by reducing brake pressure from 227m mark, but he's still on brakes obviously (telemetry only shows brakes on/off)
- Piastri releases brakes deep into the corner at around 300m mark for a moment
- Piastri is earlier on throttle at exit, but as Verstappen is already out of track, he also has a longer radius on his line and he accelerates quicker

So Piastri was late onto brakes in an attempt to get to the apex first, but didn't make it as Verstappen regulated his brake pressure to ensure he is ahead

6.1. False argument 1

A screenshot from F1 TV is used to demonstrate Piastri was ahead at the apex. The shot is completely blurry where these two are and there are no reference lines to be drawn

Video compression software can and does warp individual frames when they are blurry, so this shot proves nothing actually

We've already seen from both cars and Russell's view that Verstappen was conclusively ahead at the apex

6.2. False argument 2

Two examples of racing and overtaking situations are provided as evidence that Verstappen should have backed off. Firstly, these are illustrations provided by a blog in 2014 and rules have been changed multiple times since

f1metrics.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/the…

Secondly, the case where Verstappen should have backed off relies on the situation where he's behind on corner exit - and he was ahead quite clearly.

7. Conclusion

This Controversial Moment was controversial simply because Stewards made it so. They followed completely different logic compared to Mexico 2024, the one that was convenient to lay the blame on Verstappen - there is no other explanation at this point

The fact they ignore Verstappen was pushed off WHILE HE WAS AHEAD and didn't leave track of his own choice is especially concerning. This now gives precedent to future moves where not even position at the apex matters, you can simply dive on the inside and if you have half a car alongside - the other driver must yield. That's not racing, that's bullshit

This would make defending driver lose multiple positions when he's defending through a chicane like this, because when pushed wide he must decelerate significantly to slow down, let the attacked ahead and turn towards the 2nd apex. Again - that's not racing, that's bullshit

In reality, this was one of many cases of T1-2 chicane battle on 1st lap that was always given leeway because it's lap 1, tyres are cold and drivers are extra hot-headed. In fact, they gave leeway to F2 drivers who made exact same attack-defense maneuvers on that same weekend!

Thanks for sticking around for this one 🤓

8.1. Yes, Max was making that corner without Piastri on inside

Due to popular demand and twisting my own words, here's why there's plenty of evidence Verstappen was on route to make the corner easily without Piastri on the inside

- Verstappen was slower in T1 Lap 1 than T1 Lap 4 and other racing laps, and so was Piastri - so this means neither carried too much speed
- Verstappen's steering angle on entry is virtually the same on Lap 1 and racing laps - so this means he wasn't going to miss the exit and go off (especially being slower on apex on Lap 1!)
- Verstappen's steering angle is clearly lower on Lap 1 at the apex, because he'd hit Piastri otherwise
- Verstappen was almost on the racing line on entry by choice, he opened the corner to give himself room to turn

8.2. Videos as supplements

9. Did Piastri intend to leave the room?

First I thought he understeered, but steering angle suggests otherwise. Defending against Russell on Lap 4 restart, he was again on the inside line and takes the corner at a sharp angle again

He carries +10kmh into apex and manages to turn the wheels a lot more without any issues. This suggests he didn't actually intend to give room to Verstappen on Lap 1, even though he didn't complete the overtake and Verstappen was actually ahead of him at apex and exit

@QAThomasNoUnity