Verstappen cut through the run-off at the opening complex after a sluggish start allowed Oscar Piastri to slither up the inside.
The Australian seized the apex into the left-hander as his Red Bull rival attempted to hang on around the outside.
He eventually bailed out, cutting behind the apex of Turn 2 to retain the race lead.
Investigated by the stewards, Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty for the incident.
“To be honest, I think any words towards that is just a waste of time for everyone,” he told Sky Sports, refusing to be drawn.
During the race, he described the decision as “f*****g lovely,” having argued he’d been forced off the road by Piastri.
The Australian, who won the race and has now moved into the lead of the drivers’ championship, saw it differently.
“Once I got on the inside, I wasn’t coming out of Turn 1 in second,” he insisted.
“I tried my best, obviously the stewards had to get involved but I thought I was plenty far enough up.
“In the end, that’s what got me the race, so I’m very happy with all the work we’ve been doing.”
According to Red Bull boss Christian Horner, the notion of handing the place back was discussed ahead of the race in anticipation of such a scenario.
“We had that discussion with the race directors before the race through briefings and whatever else,” he explained.
“We have this notion of let them race. I don’t know where Max was supposed to go at the first corner.
“We’ve lost the race by 2.6 seconds, so it’s tough.”
Piastri’s fast start enabled him to block Verstappen’s path to the apex of the first corner, before closing the door as he entered the right-hander that immediately followed.
Verstappen argued that forced him off the road, though officials disagreed but did temper the penalty give it occurred at the very start of the race.
“The Stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry and in-car video evidence and determined that car 81 had its front axle at least alongside the mirror of Car 1 prior to and at the apex of corner 1 when trying to overtake Car 1 on the inside,” the stewards’ report noted.
“In fact, Car 81 was alongside Car 1 at the apex.
“Based on the Driver’s Standards Guidelines, it was therefore Car 81’s corner and he was entitled to be given room.
“Car 1 then left the track and gained a lasting advantage that was not given back.
“He stayed in front of Car 81 and sought to build on the advantage.
“Ordinarily, the baseline penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage is 10 seconds.
“However, given that this was lap one and turn one incident, we considered that to be a mitigating circumstance and imposed a 5 second time penalty instead.”
After finishing second to Piastri, Verstappen remains third in the drivers’ championship, now two points behind Lando Norris, who is in turn 10 points down on his McLaren teammate after five races.
Discussion about this post