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Red Bull’s Reaction to Verstappen’s Penalty in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Christian Horner, the managing director of Red Bull Racing, has indicated that the team is unlikely to pursue a protest regarding the penalty that affected Max Verstappen’s performance at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This decision follows a race in which Verstappen, the reigning four-time World Champion, initially secured pole position but ultimately finished second to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri after incurring a five-second penalty due to an incident on the first lap.

The controversy arose when Piastri made a move down the inside at Turn 1, which led to Verstappen leaving the track at the subsequent section of the chicane in a bid to maintain his lead. Red Bull believed that Piastri’s maneuver was aggressive and that Verstappen was not at fault for the incident. However, the race stewards determined otherwise, leading to Verstappen serving his penalty in the pit lane, a decision that effectively determined the outcome of the race and left both the driver and the team visibly upset.

In light of the incident, Horner revealed that while Red Bull is not keen on protesting the penalty outright, they may still bring new evidence to the stewards’ attention for reconsideration. “We spoke to the stewards post-race,” commented Horner. “They consider it a ‘slam dunk’ decision. If we were to protest, they are likely to maintain their stance.”

Horner also noted that the team plans to present onboard footage from Verstappen’s car that was unavailable during the initial review. “We’ll first show them the footage and then see how they respond, but I think it’s quite unlikely anything will change,” he added.

Reflecting on the penalty, he expressed his view that the decision was excessively harsh. Horner emphasized that Red Bull chose not to relinquish position to Piastri because they believed Verstappen had not acted improperly. “At the apex of the corner, Max was clearly ahead. We believed the rules regarding racing conduct had been established beforehand,” he explained. “Conceding the position would have left us vulnerable to George Russell, so the best course of action was to keep pushing.”

Ultimately, Verstappen finished just 2.6 seconds behind Piastri after serving his penalty, which Horner contended would likely have resulted in a win absent the five-second time penalty.

Horner also pointed out that the nature of the penalty—five seconds instead of the typical ten—suggested that the stewards themselves might have had reservations about the validity of the infraction. “It seems they were somewhat conflicted,” he remarked. “Given the context, it’s difficult to understand how they arrived at their conclusion. Max cannot simply disappear from the track during the race. Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate some of these rules.”

Broader Implications for Racing Rules

The incident raises questions not only about the particulars of the ruling but also about the broader enforcement of racing regulations, particularly in high-stakes situations such as the opening laps of a Grand Prix. The dynamics of race control and stewarding can significantly impact the outcomes of races, leading to calls for more consistent adjudication of racing incidents in the future.

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