The Dutchman had a snug lead when Kevin Magnussen crashed and the particles path he left led race director Niels Wittich to name for a crimson flag with three laps to go.
Verstappen was thus left on pole for a possible two-lap dash to the flag however with a robust danger of shedding the lead on condition that he had acquired away badly on the two earlier begins.
Within the occasion, Verstappen did get to the primary nook in entrance and one other crimson flag made it tutorial as the ultimate race consequence order was in impact frozen at that stage.
“It was at all times going to be vastly irritating if you get a crimson flag and a restart with three laps to go,” mentioned Horner when requested by Autosport concerning the difficult circumstances.
“Whenever you’re the chief, you’ll be able to solely lose from that time. You’ll be able to perceive the rationale between wanting to complete beneath racing circumstances fairly than cruising behind the security automobile for 3 laps.
“They may have been capable of clear the circuit and get it going, I do not know. Like all these items, there’s at all times one thing to study.”
The topic of utilizing late crimson flags to make sure a end beneath racing circumstances has come up usually in staff boss gatherings.
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Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
Prior to now, the consensus has been that groups desire to keep away from them, however Horner says he is open-minded.
“It is one thing that has been mentioned,” he mentioned. “I believe there’s at all times been a choice to complete beneath racing circumstances, so if by stopping the race enabled them to tidy up the circuit, so fairly than cruise out the remaining laps beneath a security automobile, it is the correct factor to do.
“The issue is, if you’re the lead automobile and you have been controlling a 10s lead all afternoon instantly it is a huge variable that turns into a little bit of a lottery.”
After the final crimson flag, there was some confusion over the ultimate restart order for the one-lap run to the flag behind the security automobile.
One model probably put Purple Bull’s Sergio Perez forward of Lance Stroll in fourth, had order been taken from the security automobile two line simply after the earlier begin been used.
“Because it unfolded, it was a case of did they cross the security automobile line, it was one other Silverstone [2022], principally,” mentioned Horner.
“We had great help from the operations room as nicely, they’ve all the information in a relaxed setting, so principally they crunch the numbers and clearly Jonathan [Wheatley] working along with his staff as nicely. It was clear the race wasn’t going to restart.”
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer mentioned the staff had hoped for the consequence to be declared earlier than the ultimate one-lap run to the flag, which might have left each Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon within the factors.
“We undoubtedly pushed as a result of I do not know the place we had been at security automobile line two, we might have been up there,” he mentioned.
“Security automobile line two was earlier than flip one. So Pierre most likely would have been in fourth or one thing. For certain we requested them to do this. However I believe they made the correct resolution. These are the principles. So you have to observe the principles.”
Marshals take away the broken automobile of Esteban Ocon, Alpine A523, from the circuit after the race
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Szafnauer didn’t query the necessity for the crimson flag triggered by Magnussen’s accident: “I do not know all of the circumstances as as to if that ought to have been a crimson flag or not.
“However having talked to the sporting director he believes that there was metallic particles on the monitor, and due to this fact it’s important to get it off.
“If a wheel breaks up and you’ve got magnesium shards all around the monitor, you have to get that off. If it is rubber, that is a distinct factor. Even then, you do not need a bit of rubber flying up and hitting anyone at velocity.”