“That’s crazy” - Max Verstappen questions delay in double yellow flags, FIA explains

Key Points:

• Max Verstappen crashed at Turn 9 during qualifying at the Red Bull Ring and believes the incident should have triggered double yellow flags earlier, affecting other drivers' laps.
• The FIA stated that standard procedures were followed: a single yellow flag was shown initially when Verstappen lost control on track, upgraded to double yellows 15-20 seconds later after the car hit the barrier.
• George Russell, who passed the scene during the single yellow phase, said he did not see Verstappen's car and acted correctly under the rules by lifting significantly, as double yellows would have required no lap improvement.
• Verstappen criticized the flagging decision, calling the lack of immediate double yellows a "mistake," while the FIA and Russell defended the protocol and the appropriateness of the single yellow flag initially displayed.
• The crash impacted qualifying results, with Verstappen believing he could have finished third if double yellows had been shown sooner, while other drivers like Andrea Kimi Antonelli abandoned their flying laps following the incident.