Max Verstappen has called for Red Bull to investigate the unsafe pit release incident that led to a collision with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli during the Miami sprint race.
The four-time F1 champion was hit with a costly 10-second time penalty after the front-left wheel of his Red Bull struck the right-rear of Antonelli's W15 in the pit lane.
The incident occurred as Verstappen was given the all clear to exit his pit box whilst the 18-year-old Italian was approaching.
The collision resulted in Antonelli's wheel cover being shattered, with carbon fibre debris flying off the Mercedes car.
Max Verstappen wants a full investigation after clipping Kimi Antonelli
Reuters
The young Italian driver was forced to abort his pit stop following the contact.
This proved costly for Antonelli, who had started the sprint race from pole position but ultimately lost any chance of finishing in the points.
For the stewards, it was a straightforward decision to penalise Verstappen for the unsafe release.
The incident occurred as the track was beginning to dry out, prompting drivers to switch to slick tyres.
Verstappen, who had been running in third place, finished fourth at the chequered flag but was demoted to 17th and last after the penalty was applied.
The race finished behind the safety car following Fernando Alonso's crash, which was triggered by contact with Liam Lawson.
This meant Verstappen was unable to recover positions after his penalty.
The Dutch driver lost ground in the championship to McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who secured a one-two finish in the sprint race.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the incident, Verstappen said: "This is something we need to investigate."
Max Verstappen damaged his front wing in the pit lane after he made contact with Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Reuters
The Dutchman added: "On the other hand, I'm just happy that no one got injured. With these cars, if you hit someone, it's not great."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged the error, responding: "It was a human error. We'll learn from it."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was more critical, suggesting "somebody panicked" during the pit stop sequence.
This marks the second time this season that Verstappen has encountered pit stop difficulties.
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In Bahrain, the Red Bull team experienced issues with their traffic-light system, causing delays for both Verstappen and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.
When asked about dealing with such frustrating incidents, Verstappen maintained his composure, stating: "They've all been different.
"You can't really compare these things. We all don't want that to happen, but it happened."
Despite the setback in Miami, Verstappen bounced back in qualifying, securing pole position for the Grand Prix by a mere 0.003 seconds ahead of Norris.
