Max Verstappen says his rivals might be able to overtake him now that the FIA has clarified its stance over defending positions in braking zones.
At the U.S. Grand Prix, FIA race director Charlie Whiting issued a clarification which effectively makes blocking manoeuvres under braking illegal. The rule tweak was issued following a series of incidents involving Verstappen this season that other drivers felt crossed the line. The most recent came at the Japanese Grand Prix when Verstappen moved across on Lewis Hamilton while defending second position on the penultimate lap. Verstappen made the move relatively late and while both drivers were on the brakes, forcing Hamilton to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
Asked if he felt victimised by Whiting's ruling, Verstappen said: "No. I think it is a positive thing that they have put a rule on it. Maybe they can get past now."
But asked if he would have to change his driving, the 19-year-old added: "No, I don't think so.
"It is always in the heat of the moment, you are always trying to defend your position and so far it said in the rules that you could go to the inside under braking. Now it is not, so we will see how that is going to affect the race."
Verstappen believes the ruling could make racing boring as it becomes too easy to pass.
"Now you think the guy is definitely not going to go to the inside, so let's just brake late and see what happens. That's for sure. So if that is the right approach, I don't know.
"But at the end of the day it is the same for everyone. We all have to deal with it. At the end it makes it also more interesting, F1, instead of just getting by on DRS or just driving by in an easy overtake, but that's not up to me."