Max Verstappen’s actions on lap 10 of the Mexican Grand Prix were “purely intentional”, especially as Lando Norris could not “take the risky option” against his title rival, says Ralf Schumacher. For the second successive Sunday, Verstappen and Norris engaged in a contentious battle but this time it was the Red Bull driver who came off second best. Were Max Verstappen’s actions against Lando Norris deliberate?

Last time out in Austin, Norris was hit with a five-second time penalty for leaving the track – helped by Verstappen as the stewards noted – and gaining an advantage. The reason for the penalty was that he didn’t have the right to the corner as the stewards ruled he wasn’t ahead at the apex. Fast forward seven days and they were at it again at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez where Norris attacked Verstappen around the outside of Turn 4 on lap 10 and came out ahead.

This time though, he had the apex in what Christian Horner all but called a divebomb move which meant Verstappen was penalised for forcing him off the track. But seeing the “red mist”, as Martin Brundle put it, Verstappen challenged Norris into Turn 7 and ran them both off the road. Verstappen came out ahead but, having been the attacking driver into Turn 7, he should have given the position back to Norris – but didn’t.

He was hit with two 10-second penalties that cost him dearly as he finished down in sixth place while Norris was P2. Scoring 18 points to Verstappen’s eight, it marked the biggest points swing in Norris’ favour with his deficit reduced to 47 points. But with only 120 points still in play the odds, and the math, is very much in Verstappen’s favour.

So much so that Ralf Schumacher reckons he can take his chances as he did in Mexico. “That was purely intentional,” the former F1 driver turned Sky Deutschland pundit said of Verstappen’s Turn 10 theatrics. “Max is simply a street dog when it comes to racing.

He’s taking full risks here and he can do that. He’s leading the World Championship. ”More on the Mexican Grand Prix👉Mexican GP conclusions: Verstappen own worst enemy, end feels nigh for Perez👉Mexican GP driver ratings: Needless Verstappen scores worst rating of his seasonVerstappen can take risks, but McLaren and Norris can’t.

According to Timo Glock, they weighed up the odds, told Norris to “be clever”, and went for it. “You go through all scenarios. You don’t take the risky option, but tell the drivers to be clever.

All topics are gone through so that you are safe and leave nothing to chance,” he said. As for Verstappen’s penalty, he reckons the second of the 10-second penalties was harsh given Norris was only given five for the second infringement in Austin. “You have to take into account that Lando Norris lost a position,” he said.

“In the second situation, there was contact in the fast corner. It was a bit too harsh from Max, but you have to discuss the fact that in Austin there were only five seconds for similar offences. But it was even harsher from Max.

”It was harsher for Verstappen, as the stewards explained in Austin, because they reduced Norris’ normal 10-second penalty to a five given it was Verstappen who created the ‘leaving the track’ part of the infringement. Verstappen left Mexico still leading the Drivers’ standings, 47 points up on Norris, but Red Bull are now third in the Constructors’ as Ferrari surged 25 points ahead with their double podium. Read next: Explained: Why the FIA slapped Max Verstappen with two huge Mexico GP penalties