Karun Chandhok Questions VSC Timing Amid Verstappen Penalty Controversy at Brazilian Grand Prix

Karun Chandhok has raised concerns regarding the timing of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) following Max Verstappen’s penalty during the Brazilian Grand Prix. The reigning world champion faced additional scrutiny after being penalized at the previous weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix for incidents involving Lando Norris. While Red Bull team principal Christian Horner accepted the second penalty, executive director Helmut Marko felt Verstappen deserved a lesser sanction of 15 seconds instead of the 20 seconds handed down.

This latest penalty has left many Red Bull fans feeling discontented, as highlighted by Sky Sports F1’s Simon Lazenby. “If you look online, there are a lot of very unhappy Red Bull and Max Verstappen fans,” Lazenby reported. He explained that the sequence of events during the race, which included double-waved yellows followed by the VSC, raised concerns among fans. “They feel that the start and end of the VSC period gave McLaren an unfair advantage. Initially, it was double-waved yellows, then the McLarens were able to swap. It then immediately became a virtual safety car, and then it went green again after the second DRS zone. They believe that denied Max an opportunity to overtake Oscar.”

Chandhok sympathized with these frustrations, noting that the situation was compounded by the unsafe positioning of Nico Hulkenberg’s car. “I think there is a question to be asked of the race director,” he stated. “Why did they wait to go to the VSC? It was quite clear that Nico Hulkenberg had stopped and he wasn’t going to move behind that barrier into a safe spot. I can understand why there are people who are unsure about the timing of the VSC being called.”

As discussions continue about the race’s officiating, the fallout from Verstappen’s penalty and the VSC timing remains a contentious topic among fans and pundits alike.