Overview

• Stewards launched an investigation under Article 34.14(c) after Verstappen discarded a towel mid-session and imposed only a formal warning on Red Bull.
• Verstappen told officials the towel slipped beside his seat and he moved off-line to throw it clear of the racing line to prevent it lodging under his pedals.
• The cloth remained on the asphalt until the end of FP2 but was deemed less hazardous than a hard object, influencing the decision to forgo harsher sanctions.
• The incident underscores FIA regulations that mandate cars be released free of loose items and highlights the importance of stringent pre-session checks.
• Verstappen reported significant grip and balance problems with the RB21, prompting an overnight technical review ahead of Saturday’s qualifying.