“We won’t activate a Right of Review”: Christian Horner opens up on Max Verstappen’s major penalty in Mexico GP
Christian Horner clarified that Red Bull will not pursue a Right of Review regarding the stewards’ decisions on Max Verstappen during the 2024 Mexican GP. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda after the race, the Briton emphasized the need for clearer guidelines from the FIA and stewards on the rules of engagement during on-track incidents.
McLaren initially accepted the five-second penalty given to Lando Norris after the USGP for overtaking Verstappen off-track. However, ahead of the Mexican GP, the Woking-based team filed a ‘Right of Review,’ presenting new evidence that contradicted the stewards’ decision. At the time, Red Bull defended the stewards’ ruling, maintaining it was the correct call.
Christian Horner firmly dismissed the idea of Red Bull pursuing a ‘Right of Review’ to challenge Verstappen’s penalties. Instead, he emphasized the need for clearer on-track rules of engagement, noting that the current regulations are too complex. He explained that the rule governing moves at the apex depends on which driver reaches the corner first and whose car is further ahead.
Horner also pointed out that overtaking on the outside has always been a high-risk, low-reward maneuver. He stressed the importance of providing clarity on this issue for the remaining races of the season.
Horner compared Verstappen’s maneuver on Norris in Mexico to the one in the USGP, noting that the two situations were very different. He explained that both drivers went off-track at the USGP, while in Mexico, Verstappen held the inside line and stayed within track limits. At Austin, Verstappen forced Norris wide, leading to a penalty for the Briton for overtaking off-track and not relinquishing the position. In contrast, in Mexico, Verstappen received two ten-second penalties: one for forcing a driver off-track and another for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Asked by Sportskeeda about his proposed solution if Red Bull felt the penalties were too harsh, Horner said:
“We won’t activate the Right of Review on this. I think the most important thing is to address ‘Okay, what is the way to go racing, going forward’. So I'm not sure that it's clear to the drivers or certain aspects of it, that you've just got to have your nose ahead at the apex point, which means that you’re going to do this. You're going to come off the brakes and carry speed to get to going to do this. You're going to come off the brakes and carry speed to get to make the pass.”
Asked if the incident was similar to the one in Mexico, the Red Bull Racing CEO said:
“It's slightly different because obviously both of them went off the track last week and you can't gain an advantage by passing off track. I think this is different because Max actually hasn't gone off the track, he stayed within the perimeter. So I think it's something that really does need to get tidied up moving forward."
"Because there's great racing going on and I think it’s just important the rules of engagement are fair rather than giving an advantage to the outside line, which was always in the history of motorsport being on the outside has always been the more risky place to be. But now it's almost the advantage. Because all you've got to do is have your nose ahead at the point that it's only relevant whether you're going to make the corner or not,” he added.
Red Bull racing CEO Christian Horner feels stewards need to clarify the rulebook for the drivers
Red Bull Racing CEO Christian Horner emphasized the need for FIA stewards to simplify the rulebook and provide clearer guidelines on the rules of engagement during on-track battles. He argued that Lando Norris positioned himself too far on the outside while traditionally, the driver on the inside dictates the corner according to established motorsport principles.
During a media session at Red Bull’s hospitality center, Horner presented lap charts and GPS data to support his claim that the McLaren driver was at fault. Red Bull contended that Norris was 15 km/h faster than Verstappen approaching the corner and braked too late, suggesting he never intended to make the corner. Horner stressed that clearer rules are essential for the remaining four races to avoid potential chaos.
Asked what direction the guidelines should take in the future, Horner said:
“I just think we’re making it, maybe we're over-complicating things and when you have to revert to an instruction manual of an overtake. I mean, the racing principles for years have been if you have the inside line, you dictate the corner. And I think the way the regulations for the guidelines have evolved is encouraging a driver to have his nose ahead at apex, irrelevant of whether you're going to make the corner."
"Because you can quite clearly see on the overlay of those two laps that Lando has hung out there quite clearly. See on the overlay of those two laps that Lando has hung out there. I think, tied it up so that we have everybody knows what is acceptable. Otherwise, we're going to end up in a mess at the upcoming races,” he added.
With title rivals Lando Norris and Max Verstappen racing each other fiercely, every maneuver and overtake has come under scrutiny. The Dutchman has often exploited loopholes in the regulations to make questionable moves against his opponents, as seen in his previous battles with Lewis Hamilton and now with Norris.
The 20-second penalty incurred during the race cost him a podium finish, resulting in a sixth-place finish. In the drivers’ championship, his lead has narrowed to 47 points, while in the constructors’ standings, Red Bull has slipped to third place, now 54 points behind McLaren, who lead the standings, and 25 points behind Ferrari in second.