Red Bull boss Christian Horner turns up to press conference with proof to argue against Max Verstappen's penalty
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stirred post-race conversation at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by bringing photographic evidence to the media center in defense of Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage over McLaren's Oscar Piastri at Turn 1.
The Red Bull boss contested that Verstappen was already ahead of Piastri at the apex of Turn 1, countering the stewards’ judgment. The penalty was issued after Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel with McLaren's #81 driver into the first corner, ran wide, and rejoined the circuit in front on the first lap.
The stewards deemed it a breach of racing regulations, but Horner argued that Verstappen had no room and had fairly won the position into the corner. Holding up two printed photographs, one from the onboard camera and another trackside, Horner insisted Red Bull had a strong case for why the penalty was 'unjust'. The same was shared by Motorsport.com journalist Ronald Vording on X:
The five-second penalty was handed to Max Verstappen for violating Article 27.3 of the FIA Sporting Regulations. It states that if a car leaves the track the driver can rejoin, only when it is safe and without gaining any lasting advantage.
In this case, the stewards determined that Verstappen left the track limits and rejoined ahead of Piastri, having secured a position he could not complete within the confines of the circuit. Horner, however, argued that the Red Bull RB21 driver had a legitimate claim at the apex. He said to Sky Sports after the race (via GP Blog):
"We had that sort of discussion with the race directors before the race through briefings and whatever else. We have this notion of let them race... I don't know where Max was supposed to go with that first corner."
His comments highlight a broader tension between interpretation of rules and the favored 'let them race' philosophy that prioritizes on-track competition.
Max Verstappen's race recovery and Red Bull's decisive strategy call
Despite being penalized, Max Verstappen continued to push in clean air and opened up a sizable margin over Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver pitted first on Lap 20, switching from medium to hard tires in a strategic attempt to undercut. The Red Bull driver did not pit for a couple more laps, building a 21.490-second buffer before diving into the pits on Lap 22.
Ultimately, Verstappen served his five-second penalty during his pit stop and rejoined behind Piastri. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Horner added (via GP Blog):
"We know McLaren are very, very quick. But the last three races, two pole positions, a first and a second. Obviously Bahrain was tough for us. Arguably, without that penalty, we would have won today as well. So a lot of positives to take, a lot of lessons, and we know we've got to improve."
While Red Bull hoped to neutralize the penalty through pace, Verstappen’s stop and the time loss from the penalty allowed Piastri to regain the lead.
The #81 McLaren MCL39 driver maintained his position through the closing stages and ultimately crossed the line 2.843 seconds ahead of the reigning champion. Behind them, Charles Leclerc secured third, keeping the championship race tightly contested.