The all-time F1 record crowd – 168,000 on the day and 500,000 over the weekend – witnessed an extraordinary moment when Verstappen spun before racing had resumed at the restart after the second safety car period.
Verstappen appeared to have been distracted by what had happened a few seconds before in the incident that earned Piastri his penalty.
As Piastri prepared for the final restart on lap 22, he slowed on the Hangar Straight. Verstappen, partially unsighted in the wet conditions, briefly passed the Australian, and then complained over the radio that he had suddenly braked.
It carried echoes of an incident at the Canadian Grand Prix two races ago, when Red Bull protested against a similar action by race winner George Russell of Mercedes, but had it rejected.
This time, the stewards decided Piastri had contravened a regulation that demands drivers “proceed at a pace which involved no erratic braking nor any other manoeuvre which is likely to endanger other drivers from the point at which the lights on the safety car are turned off”.
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