F1 News: This Is Why Max Verstappen Didn't Get A Penalty For Overtaking On A Yellow Flag

Did Verstappen overtake Russell in the Yellow section? This track analysis reveals what really happened.

Max Verstappen secured his seventh pole position of the season on Saturday at Silverstone, right in front of the McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who sealed the second and third spots on the grid. 

Verstappen however found himself in yet another 'online' controversy among social media warriors over a video clip of Q1 that supposedly shows Verstappen overtaking George Russell in the yellow zone toward the end of the session. 

The yellow flags came out because Valtteri Bottas's Alfa Romeo F1 car came to a halt at the exit of Luffield Corner. Around the same time, Russell's Mercedes was overtaken by Verstappen on the Wellington Straight. 

The FIA rules prohibit overtaking under yellow and red flags that primarily denote a stationary car on the track. Many fans argued on Social Media that Verstappen overtook Russell under the Yellow Flag. 

However, if you look at this bird's eye view graphic of the track during the incident, it is fairly easy to notice that the Verstappen had already passed Hamilton and Russell before the Yellow zone arrived.

Just in case it wasn't clear from the image above: pic.twitter.com/K4OplrgRhD

— MultiViewer (@f1multiviewer) July 8, 2023

In addition to this controversy, Former F1 racing driver Karun Chandhok clarified that it wasn't the Yellow flag that came out but a White one! Offering his explanation, Chandhok said:

"I do think that was a white flag [on the Wellington straight]."

"It is hard to tell with the cloud and the light at that point, but I think that was a white flag indicating Bottas was going slowly, (with) the yellow flag because he pulled over on the side of Luffield.”

Verstappen appeared to be confident about his stance that the overtake was completed before the flag came out. He told Sky Italia that “It happened before the panel.”

While many continue to bash Verstappen and the FIA for inaction against him, the evidence currently suggests that Verstappen isn't at fault here, regardless of whether it was a yellow flag or a white flag situation. Former world champion Jenson Button sides with the same opinion. He said:

“Even if it’s a yellow I don’t see the issue, because he’s in front when they get to the yellow.”

The FIA hasn't issued an official statement so we don't know for sure if there is going to be an investigation on the matter.