Red Bull Ring European F3: Max Verstappen penalised for illegal pass
Max Verstappen has been relegated from third place to fifth in the results of the opening race of the Formula 3 European Championship round at the Red Bull Ring
The 16-year-old Dutchman was adjudged by stewards to have made an illegal pass on Antonio Fuoco for fifth as he recovered from a first corner collision with series leader Esteban Ocon.
Verstappen passed Ferrari protege Fuoco on the third lap on the inside of Turn 2, but ran wide into the runoff - and outside track limits - on the exit.
Rene Rosin, team manager of the Prema Powerteam squad that runs Fuoco, immediately asked race director Sven Stoppe about the move, but there was insufficient evidence at the time to make a decision.
Further evidence presented post-race resulted in the stewards ruling that the pass was against the rules, and Verstappen was penalised five seconds.
Before the hearing, Verstappen told AUTOSPORT that he had completed the pass on the inside, and that he ran wide only to avoid a Fuoco attempt to undercut him on the exit.
The decision benefits Jake Dennis and Felix Rosenqvist, who move up to third and fourth positions respectively.
The officials also investigated the first-corner collision between Verstappen and Ocon, but no action was taken.
Another stewards' decision has resulted in Fuoco's team-mate Nicholas Latifi being given a five-place grid penalty for race two, in the wake of his collision at Turn 2 with Jules Szymkowiak.
Revised race one results: Pos Driver Team/Car 1. Tom Blomqvist Carlin Dallara-VW 2. Antonio Giovinazzi Carlin Dallara-VW 3. Jake Dennis Carlin Dallara-VW 4. Felix Rosenqvist Mucke Dallara-Merc 5. Max Verstappen Van Amersfoot Dallara-VW 6. Antonio Fuoco Prema Dallara-Merc 7. Gustavo Menezes Van Amersfoot Dallara-VW 8. Dennis van de Laar Prema Dallara-Merc 9. Jordan King Carlin Dallara-VW 10. Lucas Auer Mucke Dallara-Merc 11. Roy Nissany Mucke Dallara-Merc 12. Sean Gelael Carlin Dallara-VW 13. Esteban Ocon Prema Dallara-Merc 14. Felix Serralles West-Tec Dallara-Merc 15. Tatiana Calderon Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc 16. Hector Hurst West-Tec Dallara Merc 17. Alexander Toril T-Sport Dallara-NBE 18. Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc 19. Alfonso Celis Jr Fortec Dallara-Merc 20. John Bryant-Meisner Fortec Dallara-Merc 21. Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-NBE 22. Michele Beretta EuroInternational Dallara-Merc Retirements: Santino Ferrucci EuroInternational Dallara-Merc Ed Jones Carlin Dallara-VW Nicholas Latifi Prema Dallara-Merc Jules Szymkowiak Van Amersfoot Dallara-VW
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