Verstappen shuts down stewards question after scolding remark

Max Verstappen sidestepped a question over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix stewards' decision to hand him a 10-second time penalty for his first corner clash with Oscar Piastri.

Heading into Turn 1, the four-time F1 drivers' champion threw his RB20 up the inside, but as the gap closed contact was made with the MCL38 as it took the usual racing line.

The Dutchman finished sixth at the Yas Marina Circuit, with the Australian only able recover to tenth having incurred an equivalent punishment of his own.

The Red Bull driver chastised the officials over team radio during the race, calling them "stupid idiots" for the strictness of his penalty. 

However, that was not the 27-year-old avoiding taking blame for the incident, with him confirming he apologised to the McLaren driver after the chequered flag.

"I already apologised to Oscar," he told media including RacingNews365. "[It's] not what you want to happen, and especially not with him. He's a great guy, but it happened. It's just a bit unfortunate."

When asked about the severity of the penalty, he replied: "Honestly, I don't want to talk about it. I'm just happy that the season is over."

"For me, the most important thing that I had to do is just apologise to Oscar, because I have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, I went for it [and] it didn't work out.

"And especially then also for him, we both spun. It's not nice, he's a friend of mine, so I don't want to have any weird feelings or whatever going into the into the break."

In the aired radio message to Red Bull, Verstappen also sarcastically asked if he could be given a 20-second penalty instead.

Having declined to discuss the punishment at first, the 63-time grand prix winner subsequently opened up about the situation.

"I was expecting maybe 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I don't know, stop and go? It's maybe something to talk about," he said half joking, half flippantly.

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