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Lack of F1 Mexican GP Hamilton qualifying penalty annoys Verstappen

Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen says he understands the penalty that cost him Mexican Grand Prix pole, but is annoyed Lewis Hamilton was not also penalised

Verstappen was stripped of pole at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after receiving a three-place grid penalty for failing to slow sufficiently in response to a yellow flag thrown out for Valtteri Bottas's crash at the final corner late in Q3.

Two other drivers besides Verstappen passed the site of Bottas' crash on their final flying laps, and while Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel lifted off the throttle, Hamilton - who ran immediately behind his team-mate - did not appear to lift.

But Hamilton, who went on to win the Mexican race on Sunday from third on the grid, did not improve in the final sector, unlike Verstappen.

Speaking after the Mexican race, Verstappen accepted the penalty but questioned why Hamilton did not receive the same treatment.

"The rule is very clear," he said. "The only thing I want to say about it from my side is, because there were a lot of comments about it, and looking back, for sure I should've lifted - but then everybody should do the same.

"And I know Seb did the same, but one silver [Mercedes] car didn't.

"And then he doesn't get a penalty, and that annoys me as well. But it is what it is. I can't decide for other drivers about the rules."

Hamilton had called on the FIA to be "very strict" in regards to Verstappen's infraction - although the reigning champion was under the impression that the Red Bull driver had ignored double-waved yellow flags, which would have been a more severe wrongdoing.

While Bottas had crashed right ahead of Hamilton, the yellow flags were seemingly not being shown by the time the Briton arrived at the scene.

"Valtteri was just ahead of me and I saw bits on the ground, there was no flag at the time," Hamilton said after qualifying

"I was quite hesitant because obviously something had happened ahead. I hesitated getting back on power. By the time I'd realised there was a crash I was basically past it."

Despite the qualifying penalty, Verstappen believed a victory challenge was "still on" from fourth on the grid, but his race unravelled during early battles with Hamilton and Bottas.

The former incident cost him track position as they went off the track at Turn 2 after banging wheels and the latter caused a right-rear puncture on the Red Bull.

"The start itself was good and then [Hamilton] came back around the outside, he braked very deep into Turn 2, I had to go off the track - but ok, that can happen.

"Afterwards with Valtteri I went up the inside and when I was alongside him, I guess he didn't see me, he was already turning in and then he clipped me on my right-rear.

"I had to do a whole lap with a puncture. From there I had to do a one-stop.

"Of course it was a very bad one-stop, but it was our only option to come back to P6. The pace was good, the car was good - it's a shame to not finish higher up."

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