The FIA has explained the reason for the late appearance of the Virtual Safety Car, which thwarted Max Verstappen’s chances of securing second place in the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Dutchman was closing in on Charles Leclerc on the final straight of the race and was just approaching the finish line when the yellow flags appeared on the penultimate lap.
The race was canceled because Carlos Sainz stopped in the spectacular stadium area of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez after experiencing a problem with his Williams. The Spaniard attempted to park his car out of the way, but race control decided to act anyway.
It was an unfortunate moment for Verstappen and a frustrating one for the fans. Speaking live on Sky Sports, David Croft complained that the fans had been “robbed” of a spectacular finish to an already intense race.
However, in a statement, the FIA explained the safety concerns that led Race Direction to intervene at such a crucial moment in the race. A told Express Sport: “On lap 70, Carlos Sainz spun and stopped on the outside run-off area at Turn 14. His car was exposed.
The car subsequently began to smoke, and Race Control received reports of a fire, making it clear that the marshals’ intervention would be necessary for recovery. As is customary when marshals are deployed to recover a car, the race was neutralized.
In this case, a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed until the car was moved to a safe position behind the barriers. The VSC ended as soon as the car was in a protected position, and the race concluded with a green flag.
As mentioned in the release, the VSC period ended early, on the final lap of the race, giving Verstappen the opportunity to surprise Leclerc. But the Ferrari driver held on, and Verstappen had to settle for the final step of the podium, losing three extra points that would have been crucial to his aspirations for the drivers’ title.
Despite the stakes, the Red Bull driver suggested he won’t lose much sleep over losing second place. The Dutchman said: “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes the safety car works in your favor, sometimes against you.”
On the other hand, Leclerc was understandably delighted to see the yellow flags come out at the perfect time, from his point of view. He said: “I was really happy! My tires were completely worn out and I could see Max coming back on the softer tire, so it was tough, and I think the safety car saved me in the end.”
