FIA explain Red Bull punishment escape after bizarre Max Verstappen incident

The FIA has explained why Red Bull escaped punishment, following a bizarre incident for Max Verstappen during second practice ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. 

During second practice at the Hungaroring, the four-time world champion was spotted throwing a small cloth outside his RB21, attempting to get it off the circuit. 

Verstappen slowed through Turn 3 before pulling to the inside of the track to throw the cloth at low speed; however, it landed on the asphalt. 

The cloth remained on the track for the remainder of the session, but was a considerable distance away from the racing line. 

A car being released from a garage with an object left inside the cockpit is usually a punishable offence, with a fine often being served to the team in question. 

On this occasion, only a warning was handed to Red Bull, as the small cloth did not impact Verstappen's ability to drive the car. 

The FIA stewards' report read: "The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representative and reviewed video and in-car video evidence. 

"Shortly after Car 1 was released from its garage, the driver of Car 1 was observed to have thrown a towel out of the cockpit. The driver explained that while in the garage, the face towel had slipped from his lap to the side of the seat and the team was unaware that it remained in the cockpit.

"When the driver realised it was there, he moved to the far right of the track and attempted to throw it as far away from the car and the track as possible. The Stewards determine that the towel had the potential to have become lodged in the footwell and to interfere with the driver’s ability to fully control the car and that therefore the car was released in an unsafe condition. 

"The stewards consider this case to be distinguishable from a case where a hard (and therefore potentially dangerous) object is left in the cockpit and to be less severe than such a case. Hence a warning to the team is imposed."