Damon Hill shares what Max Verstappen ‘knows’ after Red Bull driver receives another penalty

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Damon Hill believes Max Verstappen now ‘knows’ one thing after the Red Bull driver merited a five-second time penalty in the F1 Sprint at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The penalty dropped Verstappen from a podium finish at Interlagos to fourth place, shuffling Charles Leclerc onto the rostrum with McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It further meant the Red Bull racer lost three points to his title rival, instead of the two he initially lost.

McLaren issuing team orders to make Piastri gift Norris the Sao Paulo Sprint victory ensured the 24-year-old moved to within 44 points of Verstappen. But the Briton still faces a very tall order to dethrone the Dutchman ahead of the Sao Paulo GP and the following three rounds.

Damon Hill thinks Max Verstappen ‘knows’ he cannot afford any more self-inflicted penalties

Norris must outscore Verstappen by 11 points per round over the final four Grands Prix, plus the final F1 Sprint of 2024 at the Qatar GP. It means the 27-year-old is still in a great position to become a four-time consecutive world champion even if Norris wins each remaining race.

But the Red Bull driver is doing himself no favours of late by drawing penalties for his driving standards. Verstappen drew two 10-second time penalties over his illegal moves on Norris in the Mexico City GP. He even received two penalty points for running the Briton off at Turn 7.

READ MORE: How many penalty points every F1 driver has and who is close to a race ban

The F1 Sprint at the Sao Paulo GP also saw Verstappen draw a five-second time penalty for speeding under the Virtual Safety Car to recover Nico Hulkenberg’s broken-down Haas. With Piastri in front, Verstappen tried to anticipate the restart to steal second place in the Sprint.

Verstappen accelerated too early and pulled alongside Piastri before the Sprint resumed. He backed off before completing the overtake into Turn 4, but the stewards punished his initial speeding. Hill thinks Verstappen now ‘knows’ he cannot afford another self-inflicted setback.

“Obviously, [the rain] will add jeopardy to everyone and everything,” Hill told Sky Sports F1 (02/11, 17:13). “But, of course, particularly to Lando and Max who are fighting for the world title. This is the kind of thing they’re going to have thrown at them that’s going to make it extra special and anxious.

“And even Max, I would say, knows he can’t afford to slip backwards anymore. He’s had this extra penalty, that will have gone into his head. He’ll be going, ‘I don’t like what’s happening at the moment. I’m losing points, I’m losing traction, I’m sliding back.’”

READ MORE: Five unforgettable Sao Paulo GP from Senna’s painful win to Hamilton’s title

Max Verstappen ‘knows what he’s doing’ despite receiving three penalties in two rounds

While Hill believes Verstappen will now ‘know’ he cannot afford to get any more self-inflicted penalties with Norris on the hunt for the drivers’ title, the Red Bull racer will likely not think the same. He hit back at criticism for his penalties in Mexico with: “I know what I am doing”.

Verstappen believes he knows what he can and cannot do on the circuit with the Dutchman “a three-time world champion”. The 61-time Grand Prix winner is happy to push the limit of the rules if he believes there is any advantage to be gained, and will continue to try his luck.